


The Devil's Triangle

by RumbleFish14



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bounty Hunters, Explicit Sexual Content, Fisherman Mickey, Gallavich, Happy Ending, M/M, Magic, Mermaids, Mystical Creatures, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Supernatural Elements, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2020-11-08 02:28:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 106,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20827898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RumbleFish14/pseuds/RumbleFish14
Summary: Supernatual creatures are being pulled from The Bermuda Triangle. Creatures with beautiful multicolored tails, gills and many people pay a great deal of money to capture one...alive or dead.Mickey is a fisherman, his turf is the Triangle and when Mandy tells him about what she saw on the beach, Mickey is determined to forget about it, and embrace his obsession...only he has no clue where to start





	1. Home Sweet Home

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: new territory for me. Like all the way but this topic has been driving me insane and this is only the begining...
> 
> Also, all merpeople in here are mermaids. I don't like the mermen term lol so guys are mermaids too 😃

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 1- Home Sweet Home

"Jesus, that was a long trip." Mickey huffed as he walked towards his house, where Mandy was sitting in his rocking chair like she owned the place. "You realize this is my house, right?"

Mandy nodded quickly but he could see her eyes were a little wide, her tanned skin a few shades paler than what it should be living in Florida for the last 10 years. Something was up, she looked freaked.

Mickey set his gear down on the porch, smelling like salt water and the overwhelming stench of fresh fish and bent down a little to get her to meet his eyes.

"You okay?" Mandy shook her head no. "Didn't smoke too much of that weed Iggy grew, did you? I told you that was some serious shit."

Mandy blinked up at him, mouth opening and closing a few times before the words came out. "No Mick, I didn't smoke anything."

This was not the time for her fucking drama shit. He had been working for the last three month's straight, covering over 3,000 miles from Florida to Bermuda to Puerto Rico, then back to Florida, their home base. Yes...his route was the damn Bermuda Triangle, deadly, dangerous and mysterious. Not many people wanted his route and he was happier for it.

Being a fisherman these days wasn't as easy as it had been ten years ago. The demand was a lot higher so they hired more people to work the waters, giving them their own slice of paradise with a main focus on what to fish. Everyone kept to their own, most of the time but every now and then there were those who hunted for more than just fish…

Mickey rubbed tired, blistered hands over his face and bent down to her eye level. "Mandy, it's been a long trip, I don't have the energy to guess at what's wrong. Just tell me and I'll deal with it."

Mandy nodded, hesitating to find out how to say it. "I was doin the books in the lighthouse earlier when I saw something on the beach." She paused, eyes wide remembering. "I saw it, but I knew it had to be fake because they are really, really rare Mick. Like only 5 have been seen before."

This is not what he expected her to say, and she wasn't scared like he thought. But shocked, speechless. In awe of whatever it was. 

"Okay, did you go down and check?" Mickey asked. Mandy nodded. "What did you see then?"

"Blood, I saw blood." Mandy tucked her hair behind her ear. "I thought maybe someone got hurt; a boat or a shark or something. I followed the blood and saw it...or him?" Mandy asked, head tilted to the side. "I think it was a him."

It? What was she talking about? Mickey didn't comment immediate but watched every possible emotion flow across her face. Like whatever it was, she didn't quite believe it either. 

"Did someone get hurt Mandy?"

She nodded. "He was sitting by that big rock pile on the east bank, that rocky ass place?" She asked and he nodded, knowing where it was. "Whatever it was, was hooked in his tail, I could see the blood dripping into the water."

Mickey narrowed his eyes. "Did you just say tail?" He asked in disbelief, not because what she was describing was fake, but it was ludicrous to find one so close. Nearly impossible really. Someone had better luck winning the lottery five times in a row then for what she saw to actually be that close.

"Yes Mick, a damn tail." She huffed, crossing her arms at his surprised tone. "I know how stupid it sounds but I saw it, I saw HIM. He was bleeding and afraid and he took off when I tried to help him."

There was no way she was serious, not even with that over serious, pissed off look she gave him when he was being an idiot. He stood, laughing as he leaned against the deck. 

"It was probably one of those geeks from that Sea Life program they just opened." Mickey suggested seriously. "I've seen them do that weird shit before."

Mandy stood, arms crossed, glaring at him. "I know what I saw Mickey. Trust me. I've spent the last two hours trying to come up with an explanation as to what it was and I can't find anything aside from the truth."

By her tone, he was inclined to believe her but he couldn't. There had been many people claim to have seen them before and it was always a hoax. There were only 5 known sightings; 2 had been dead upon arrival, 1 had died trying to capture it and the other 2 were prisoners. Put on display in the owners house, showing it off like you would a shiny trophy or a collection of classic cars. 

All his time on the ocean, he had never seen one. A mermaid. 

Just saying it out loud screamed little girl fairytale but they were real. Either too hard to find or close to extinction, but very real. People had been hunting them, seeking them out since that first sighting nearly 6 years ago. It turned the world upside down, discovering that the mythic creatures were real. 

"I saw a mermaid Mickey," Mandy softened her voice, "or merman, whatever the hell the guy version is called. But I saw it."

Mickey turned back to face her, arms crossed, face lacking all excitement or enthusiasm. He believed that if you could see it, touch it, hear it, smell it or taste it, it was real. The wind yes, God-debatable, and mermaids? No. He wasn't the type to believe they bad gotten so lucky as to find one. 

"Any proof?" He asked, ignoring her scowl to give one of his own. 

Mandy nodded and dug into her pocket. "I had my phone out, ready to call 911 if it had been a shark or something." She scrolled quickly, looking for the group of pictures. "I took what I could because as I said, it was fast. He was fast." She corrected.

If she handed him the phone and if there was a legit picture of this creature on there with a timestamp to go along with it, he would believe her and apologize. 

Mickey took the phone and looked at them. The first one was nothing but sand, the next one had a pinkish tint to the sand; blood probably just like she said. The one after that was a rock, but when he looked closer, he could see something yellow, like bright yellow with orange accents…they were scales. 

This could not be a mermaid...it just couldn't. 

Mickey handed the phone back, already shaking his head. "I said proof Mandy, not a bunch of shit."

Mandy snatched it back with a scowl. "You're an asshole Mickey. You know damn well what it is and you refuse to see it."

"The only thing you showed me was some sand, a damn rock and a slice of yellow...something. Doesn't mean it's a damn mermaid."

"Something?" Her voice rose about two octaves, eyebrows high just like her brothers could. "Yellow something huh? That's all you got?"

This was going nowhere. Mickey didn't answer, picked up his gear and took them around back, knowing that she would follow. And she did, stomping across the deck, huffing along the way. 

"I freaked out when I saw him so the pictures suck," Mandy explained, leaning over to watch him wash off his gear. "But I saw his face too. Not a damn fish face either, but a human face."

Mickey stopped, glancing back at her and that unusual serious tone. 

"With eyes and a nose and a mouth. His hair was bright red and he had gills on the side of his face, like where his ears would be…" Mandy trailed off, glancing out to the water as if he might just show up and prove her right. "He looked incredible."

The hose fell from his hand as he stood up, regarding her not as a sister with her head up in the clouds, but seriously. No more snark, no more jokes or excuses. 

"Look, even if it was a mermaid, it's gone Mandy." Mickey pointed to the water in the distance. "And if it's smart, it'll stay there or risk being killed and or someone's pet."

Mandy nodded, head down. "Yeah, I guess so. But he was amazing Mick. He was beautiful. I wish you could have seen him."

Him. She kept saying him. Mickey just said it because he wasn't sure if there was a gender like that. Mermaids or mermen or merpeople...not very much was known about them. Not even poking the dead ones or studying the captured ones could offer up very much information.

"Look," Mickey huffed, deciding not to argue anymore about it and tossed an arm around her shoulders, "I've been gone for a long ass time. Let's just have dinner, yeah?"

Mandy smiled, wrapping her arm around his waist.

Mickey grinned as they walked in and the feel of home surrounded him in a way nothing else could. "Let's eat and talk and fucking drink and maybe I'll believe your little mermaid story."

Mandy shoved him until he fell on the couch and he just went with it. Arms and legs sprawled in all directions, head back as he shut his eyes. Even the couch felt like heaven. No strong smell of fish and saltwater, no dampness everywhere you sat, no waves rushing up or the not so gentle rock of the boat...nothing. Just silence, calming silence.

"I'll cook this one time but only because I missed your grumpy ass." Mandy walked to get them a few beers before she started cooking.

Mickey popped the top with his eyes closed and drank nearly half before he replied to her. "I already know you miss me, asshole. This house missed me and the couch missed me," he stretched, yawning so hard his jaw cracked. "Fuck, my bed missed me."

"Get a room, Jesus." Mandy laughed, rolling her eyes but couldn't bother to be annoyed. "And after we drink, I am going to draw my mermaid and after you see him, you'll wish he was real."

Mickey flipped her off, not bothering to open his eyes. It was easy to act like he didn't care, like it didn't interest him… if only she knew. Her story was enough to peak his interest. Mickey loved the sea, he fucking loved everything about it. The waves and the salt water and the feeling he got when he was out deep with his crew, nothing but blue water all around him. He was a fisherman for a reason. It would make sense for him to be interested in the mythical creatures that might lurk under the blue water. 

"Don't even try that shit Mandy," Mickey replied as he sat forward to put his empty beer on the table, happy when there was another to replace it. "I hardly doubt a bunch of slimy scales and half a human body will make my man parts tingle."

Mandy gagged from the kitchen, making an awful retching sound. "I never want to hear that shit ever again Mick. Just fucking gross."

Mickey grinned, the second he mentioned anything about his sex life, she would do that. He knew it too and used it to get her to shut up about that shit. Otherwise she would never give up, not only because she happened to see one of those things with her own eyes, but because she was a girl. She liked all those romantic stories, and the ideas of mermaids being real and beautiful, falling in love with humans.

It was a nice thought, but only that. Just a thought. A dream even. Maybe one day mermaids wouldn't be so rare, or maybe people would stop hunting them for money. Maybe a time would come when he really believed they existed ...they could only wait and see.

"And he wasn't slimy," Mandy shot back, glaring right back at him. "I wish he would have stayed longer."

While he drank, he let Mandy ramble on about her mermaid. His mind was already full enough without fairytale stories, one of which he would never actually see. He had to think about work, bills, his next rotation, the work on his boat that would have to be done before he could leave again. Too much to add some girlie story. 

Even thinking that, feeling it, Mickey got up, ignoring her as he walked to the bay window that overlooked the water. He leaned against it, nursing his beer, wondering if he would ever see one for himself, with his own eyes. Not a story passed down, or blurry pictures like Bigfoot, or some annoying hoax. But a real one, right in front of him. 

Until that happened, he would listen to Mandy ramble about it...about him. Maybe try and not be so narrow minded. Maybe try and picture what a yellow tail might look like on a man with red hair...try not to think about it being hurt or scared like Mandy said. 

That was a lot of maybes…

**

Mickey woke up hungover. Like really hungover. Woke up in a different country hungover. His head felt like it was split in two, his vision blurred, the light hurt his eyes so much he couldn't even open them. And it felt like someone stuffed a wad of cotton balls into his mouth for the night; dry and scratchy. 

"Fuck." He groaned, swallowing dryly as he rolled to grab that first morning cigarette. 

Last night after dinner had been a blur. He never stopped drinking and Mandy never stopped talking. It was refreshing to have someone to talk to aside from Iggy and the boys. Yeah, he had constant contact with her up in the lighthouse, giving him information about oncoming storms or boats, competition, weather; but it wasn't the same as just talking.

Mandy even dropped the mermaid topic after she drew a rather detailed, beautiful picture of what she saw. They talked about other things, life with her boyfriend Matt, work and the upcoming work season. But mostly it was just them shootin shit at each other, drinks and shots and too much laughing.

Fuck, he missed that.

Somehow she managed to get him in his room, in his king sized expensive memory foam bed. He was still wearing sweats and no shirt from the shower but it was better than the couch. 

Mickey rolled to put his cigarette out and something crinkled underneath him. "The fuck?" He mumbled, blinking quickly as he rolled off it and pulled the paper up to his face. It was the picture she drew. She put it in his bed? "Fuckin creep."

Tossing the paper aside, Mickey sat up and stretched, hearing every possible bone pop in return. He was halfway to the bathroom when he turned and grabbed the paper, taking it with him to brush his teeth. 

It was very detailed, professional, like everything else Mandy drew. And it was just as she described; the blood stained sand, the rock with that little tip of a yellow tail hidden behind it, but there was more. She added two hands, human hands, gripping the rock from the other side, peering over it. Half of its face was showing, two large wide eyes, a soft green color, two prominent cheekbones with a few yellow and orange gems clinging to its skin. The nose was straight, no ears but gills, lightly tinted blue… pale skin, almost like it was glowing.

It was beautiful. He was beautiful. 

"Nope," he tossed the paper on his bed as he changed into jean shorts. "Not gonna go there."

Mandy was gone, the place was clean because she cared about shit like that, and it was quiet. Something he still wasn't used to, not being around Iggy and his crew for that long at a time.

The sun was barely up, casting an unreal glimmer across the water as he made coffee. Still, his eyes searched the water for that hint of yellow and orange, hoping to see something he never would. He wasted 20 minutes looking, drank two cups of coffee in the process before it got irritating. 

"Just let it go man," Mickey mumbled to himself as he sat in the overstuffed chair in front of his tv. "Time to relax, not worry about that shit."

"Earlier this morning, we received word that another creature was pulled from the water…"

Mickey sat up, looking away from his phone when the news lady spoke. His attention completely on the topic and he knew without her saying it what she meant by 'creature.' 

"Our sources say the creature was caught at dawn. The capture goes to local fisherman Noah Willcox, the long time resident of Miami said the creature was dead upon arrival."

"Shit." Mickey cursed and dialed Mandy without looking away from the TV. She answered on the second ring, just as groggy as he had been. 

"It's early, Mick. What the --"

"Just shut it, turn on the tv, Mandy." Mickey turned up the volume just as Noah's smug ass face came into view. "News chick just said Willcox just caught a creature."

Mandy gasped. "Shit! I hope it wasn't the mermaid I saw. I fuckin told you!"

Mickey rolled his eyes. "It didn't say mermaid bitch, she said creature. That could mean anything." 

"Yeah right, even you don't believe that shit." She huffed. "Just stay on the phone with me. I wanna see if they say it's a mermaid and to see what the color is."

As soon as the lady came back on, Mickey tuned Mandy out and listened. "As you just heard from Noah Willcox, the creature was verified as a mermaid. One in only six sighted so far and the third to die before capture."

"Mick…" Mandy whined.

"Just wait." He whispered back, sitting on the edge of his seat, hoping she said any color besides yellow or orange. "Just wait."

"The police won't disclose a picture, but Noah himself said the mermaid was female in nature with a pink and purple tail. There is no telling how it died, but the police are baffled he managed to locate one so close to shore."

Both Mickey and Mandy exhaled a deep breath at the same time. Mickey shouldn't feel so relieved, not when another one of them was dead. But he was because it wasn't the one Mandy saw, or thought she saw. IF she saw it. 

"Thank fuck it wasn't him." Mandy groaned, voice a little shaky. "Maybe Noah will let us see her, or talk to us."

Mickey scoffed, still hyper focused on the tv. "Noah would never let me near that damn thing. He hates me for more than one reason. You know he still holds a grudge over my route." Mickey flipped off the tv when Noah came back into view. "He's the only one who fought me over the damn thing."

"Yeah, and with good reason, Mick. Four of those mermaids were found in the Triangle. One of which is actually still alive." 

She wasn't wrong about that and he wouldn't argue it. "Yeah, I know. Point is, he won't let me near it but if you wanna give it a shot, make sure you actually take pictures that aren't blurry."

Mandy scuffed. "I will, asshole and when I prove it to you, you owe me an apology." 

Mickey smiled. "Don't be your life on it, Mands."

"Any plans today? Aside from being an asshole I mean?"

Before that news report he planned on lounging around the house all damn day, but now he wanted to check out the beach where Mandy saw it...him. But he wasn't about to tell her that shit.

"Nope," Mickey lied as be stood and moved to get his shoes. "Gonna stay on the couch, right where I am." Wallet, keys, sunglasses. "Sleep the day away."

"Fine, you earned it. But I'm coming over after I talk to Noah."

Mickey stepped out, closing the door as quietly as possible to keep her from hearing. "Yeah, just let me know so I'm not naked or anything. Day off, ya know?"

Mandy gagged. "Gross, just gross."

Before she hung up, he was already halfway to his jeep. The beach Mandy mentioned wasn't far, half an hour from his house and within walking distance from the lighthouse. 

The entire drive, his heart was racing, beating out of control. It even made it hard to swallow. Mickey knew there was no way he would get there and just see Mandy's mermaid on the beach, he wasn't delusional. But Noah finding that other one seemed to make him want to believe that what she saw was real, that it had been there. 

The beach was quiet this early. This part of the beach was too rocky for surfing because it was up against the lighthouse. Mickey stood on the sandy steps looking into the water like he was losing his mind. Maybe he was. Being here almost proved it. 

"Shit." Mickey groaned, taking the steps as quickly as possible until his sandals were lost in the sand. 

Whatever could be there, had to be close. Mandy said she saw blood when she went down to the beach. That's where he was. So he looked, peeling his sunglasses off and really looked.

Sand, shells, more sand, seaweed. The normal shit you might find this close to the water. Then came the mass collection of jagged rocks. And he could see the one Mandy drew for him, with the mermaid behind it; tail and all. But there was nothing.

Each step he took, he could feel his heart threatening to jump from his chest. Mickey bent down to touch the sand, squeezing until it slipped from his fingers Then he touched the rock, careful of the jagged pieces on top but again, nothing. No blood.

"This is stupid." Mickey huffed and tossed a handful of sand at that rock. Beyond frustrated and confused. "Stupid Mandy," Mickey kicked off his shoes, "stupid Noah," then slid down, with his back pressed into it. "Stupid yellow fucking mermaid." 

No answers would be found there. No blood, no yellow scales. No red hair. Just the sand and the sea, just like it always was for him. The ocean was still a mystery for him, even after being on it and in it for 10 years. Why did he need more? Why did he need there to be a mermaid that Mandy claimed was 'so beautiful.' He had enough already. He had a big house, a nice car, his dream job, friends and family. He had it all, right? 

If he had it all, why did he really want that yellow mermaid to be real? Why did he think it would make his life better? 

Mickey closed his eyes, letting the sound of crashing waves take away all those questions out of his mind. He tried to picture anything and everything, but the only thing he could think of as he drifted off to sleep, was the damn drawing Mandy did, that happened to be in his pocket….


	2. Hallucinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey is still obsessing over Mandy's mermaid...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, making this up as I go

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 2- Hallucinations

"More." Mickey groaned, spreading his legs, making room for him to crawl between them. 

Mickey could feel him everywhere, from the slightly webbed fingers, to the silkiness of his skin, over the bumps of each gem around his eyes, to the yellow scaled tail, moving back and forth through the shallow waves; he could feel him. 

It felt better than anything he could have imagined… From the touch of a lover, one you've known for years, or that of a stranger when you enjoy each others bodies for one night...it felt better than coming home after months of being away. There was nothing better than this…

"Human…" 

The mermaid's voice was soft, but it echoed around him, making it sound louder. Mickey reached out, tracing his sharp jaw, all the way to where his ear should have been, where gills replaced it.

"Touch me." Mickey groaned, doing his best to move closer, to feel any friction against him he could to dull that pulsing ache. "Please…"

The mermaid moved closer, bending down until their noses touched and Mickey let one hand slide up his side, feeling water move under his fingers as he tried to keep him there. His lips were so pink and smooth, only inches from his own but the kiss never came.

"Human…" he repeated again, green eyes curiously searching. 

His body was so hot from barely any contact. Mickey felt like he was about to combust, just looking into his eyes, counting all the orange tinted yellow scales around his hairline. Each time he spoke, Mickey became harder, more desperate. 

"Stay with me human…" he whispered, slithering backwards into the waves.

"Don't go." Mickey begged as he followed. He got on his hands and knees in the wet sand and moved after him. "I need you to stay."

But the mermaid kept moving until only his head was above water. Panic seized his chest, squeezing it painfully tight when he realized this was it. The end. The last time he might see him. Mickey needed him to stay, he needed to know all about him. 

The water was up passed his shoulders now, spraying water in his face with every wave. And he still moved deeper, trying to follow him, even when his head was halfway underwater and he couldn't breathe. 

"Play with me…"

Mickey bolted up, coughing as water was forced into his throat. It was a dream, a damn dream. He looked around, seeing the sun setting and high tide had him halfway underwater. The waves gently lapping at his hips, covering him from the waist down.

"Jesus Christ." Mickey groaned, leaning back against that rock as he watched the ocean.

The dream had felt so real. From the water to the sound of his voice, to the need in his body. He was burning hot, his groin ached something awful and his hands were shaking at his sides. It felt like withdrawal. Being kept away from something he needed, something he craved…

**

(2 months later)

Mandy's mermaid was never spotted again, not even when she spent every waking moment at the lighthouse trying to find it. Not even when he went down to that stretch of beach every day, looking for clues to prove it was real. 

Mickey gave up, or at least that's what he told Mandy. But it was the biggest lie of all. He kept going to the beach, he kept every single one of Mandy's drawings, kept them in his room and stared at them until he could no longer stay awake. 

That dream always came back to him after he got home from the beach. Replaying it over and over again, never deviating from one single detail. Mickey would find himself praying for sleep, just to get back to that dream. 

But those days were over. It was back to work for him and his crew. His boat was fixed, loaded and passed inspection. He was packed for at least one month on water, unless they had shitty luck and had to stay longer. 

And it was time to go.

"Got everything?" Mandy asked for the millionth time.

Mickey nodded, smiling even if she was being annoying. He knew how hard it was for her to stay behind, to leave her behind. But it was safer that way. She wasn't qualified like he and Iggy were.

"I got it all, Mandy." Mickey playfully slapped her hands away from the bags at his feet and helped her stand up. "Plenty of toothpaste, toilet paper and clean socks. I'm good to go."

"I hate staying." She huffed with no real anger, just sadness. "I want to go."

Mandy had never wanted to fish before. She hated it in fact. Her going just allowed her to be close to her family...or it did. Now she had a different motive. To find her mermaid. To find answers and that was not a good enough reason to let her go, never mind that it wasn't up to him in the first place. 

"Just get up in your tower and look for it," Mickey suggested, calling the mermaid an IT on purpose. "You saw it once before, maybe it'll happen again."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "It's not an IT, Mick, he's a he."

Without wanting to argue, Mickey bent down and picked up his bags, Mandy too, grabbing the one he couldn't carry and walked towards the boat dock. Iggy, his first mate and brother; and the boys were already boarded; the boys meaning the last two members of his crew. Quinn Maddox, a childhood friend, second mate, and Knox Gunner, former military, and he was the helmsman. The two people aside from family that Mickey trusted the most, trusted with his life.

"Gonna be late, Mick." Iggy shook his head.

Mickey flipped him off and tossed the heavy bags on top of him, making Mandy laugh. "Boat can't leave without the captain, Igg. Always remember that."

Mandy grinned.

"I beg to differ, man," Knox smiled from the wheel. "The boat can't leave without me."

Mickey flipped him off as well. "Yes it can because unlike these other two meatheads, I can drive the boat too."

"Just go," Mandy pulled him into a tight hug. "Or else they won't shut the fuck up."

"You are right about that." Mickey hugged her back before she pulled away with that same sad look. "Hey…"

Mandy glanced up in question.

"No promises," he kept his voice down, making sure the guys didn't hear him or else they never would shut up. "But I'll keep a lookout for it, okay?"

"Him, it's a him." Mandy corrected with a playful scowl. "And thanks. Now go and be safe."

Mickey boarded the boat when Iggy dropped his hand down and pulled him in, then slapped his back. "With you in the lighthouse, we are always safe." Mandy smiled, which is what he wanted. "Love you, asshole."

"Love you too, bitch." Mandy waved, managing a small smile for Iggy too before she looked to the other two. "Bring them home safe boys, or you'll have me to deal with."

When they flinched at the threat, Mickey laughed so hard he almost fell over the side. 

"Not to worry, miss Mandy," Knox replied with a smile. "I'll bring em back for you."

"Good, bye guys!"

They all waved and Knox had them backed out of the marina by the time Mandy made it back to his Jeep. The rock of the boat was already enough to settle his nerves as he moved easily under the boat with both of his bags. 

The cabin was small, but big enough for four of them to live comfortably. Two sets of bunk beds took up one wall, not as good as his bed at the house but he's slept on worse before. There was a kitchen area as well, packed with enough food to last them a month if need be but they always stopped in Bermuda to deliver and swap or trade and stock up. Big bathroom too, no bath of course but a decent shower that helped with the worst of aches and pains from hard work. 

It wasn't much, but Mickey still felt himself grinning as he tossed his bags on one of the empty beds and put the majority of his stuff away. At the bottom of the last bag was a waterproof documents bag filled with all the drawings Mandy made of her mermaid. 

Her mermaid...Mickey called it that to keep some distance from him, from calling it her mermaid and not his. It helped, or at least he thought so. It had been for the last two months. But he hadn't distanced himself too far from it. Not even close. 

He took a seat on the bed below his and held the covered papers in his hand. There was no way to know who packed them, him or Mandy. Mickey didn't remember putting them into his bag but he also didn't remember exactly how many times he went down to that beach either. And he kept those papers with him, all the time. There's no way it could have been Mandy.

Without a second thought, he stood up and hid them under his pillow. Just like hiding porn as a kid, it had the same feel to it. Forbidden but a guilty pleasure that would continue until your body had enough. 

But no time for pleasure of any kind right now, physical stimulation, or mental, it was time to work. Mickey shrugged his jacket off, grabbed his ridiculous hat that said "skipper" on it; a gag gift from Mandy, and put it on as he took the stairs back up, seeing Iggy already checking their equipment.

"Alright, boys," Mickey smiled as he stood by Knox, glancing at the map, then back to the water. "Let's go to work."

***

Their first night out was nearing. The sun was just on the horizon, ready to slip below the sky, making it a mix between yellow, pink and orange...take away the pink and you'd have...nope. Not gonna think about it...him..

They had nets in the water, baited and ready to to for nightfall. Fishing was more productive at night. The engine was cut off, the sails up; ones that he personally installed, and they were making their way slowly. 

The sails were unnecessary according to Iggy. They had an engine, why would they need sails on a fishing boat? Well, that question had been answered one long trip when their engine had exploded halfway to Puerto Rico and they had been stranded for over three days, unable to move unless the ocean took them there. Knox hadn't been able to fix it and it had taken someone three days for someone to help them. Thank fuck there hadn't been one of the those out of the blue, mysterious storms the Triangle liked to conjure up or they'd have been fucked. 

Never again. As soon as they got back to Miami, Mickey commissioned to have sails added. Just in case that shit happened again, they wouldn't be left to the elements and helpless. He never wanted to feel like that again. Not to mention the money they earned went right back into fixing the boat. The payoff for that trip had been shitty.

"Good to go, Iggy?" Mickey asked as made sure their nets were tied tightly against the harsh rock of the water. 

Iggy nodded. "Good to go, Mick. All eight nets baited, set and tight. Got the cooler on full blast below, making sure that ice says ice, unlike that first time."

Mickey took the stairs quickly, meeting Knox up by the wheel. Both of them checking their current direction as the day slipped into night. "Looks like we are set for a few hours, boys." He got a few grateful smiles in return. "Get some sleep or unpack your shit. I got it for a bit."

They didn't ask if he was sure, just clapped him on the shoulder before they went below. This wasn't their first time together, they knew the drill and he liked to just take a little while alone, just to get back in the right headspace after being home for two months. When it was dark and quiet, none of their never ending chatter and jokes. Just him in the dark with the sound of waves around him, the cool breeze off the water and that soft beep of their sonar in the background. 

"To a safe trip." Mickey tipped the flask he had in his hand to the water, a mild salute to the very dangerous territory where they risked their lives. With a smile, Mickey took a drink and sat down, watching the rest of the sun fade.

**  
The night was quiet. Iggy and Quinn were below, sleeping or eating while he and Knox were up top, once again checking the nets and ropes and their current direction. But it was all good, so they sat and passed that flask back and forth while they talked.

Nothing too serious, mostly about Knox and his crush on Mandy, work concerning a few rival boats and their constant issues. But then they talked about Noah being on tv. About the mermaid. Asking themselves and each other why it had to be a jackass like Noah Willcox to find one, and not them. They were ten times better than he was, worked harder, all around good people and the world chose him.

Unfair as all hell.

It didn't take long for Knox to get irritated about Noah and end their little talk session, something that happened a lot with him. Now Mickey was alone up top, drinking alone as he watched the water, or the moon. Life seemed easier out there, with a straight forward job, no distractions except those that clouded your mind, like Noah or Mandy, or the mermaid. 

Mostly the mermaid. He wondered how he'd been so easily distracted by it, or why. Even if they were real, which by all accounts, they were, why did he care aside from the 'it came from the ocean' aspect? There was no real reason why he should want to see that mermaid, aside from curiosity. But it was there just under the surface and it was clear he couldn't ignore it or hope it went away. 

Mickey stood, a little wobbly which had nothing to do with the rock of the boat, and moved to the side to lean against it. He looked down, amazed at how close the water looked, how dark without the light to give the appearance of safety. It was beautiful. 

After a few more drinks, Mickey walked to the front of the boat, sitting down on the makeshift bench there and leaned against the side. He was looking for it now, not just admiring the view, but actually looking for the mermaid. He studied the water closely, or as closely as his inebriated brain would allow, looking for yellow scales, or orange, red hair or green eyes. 

What would it be like to live in the ocean like that? To never leave, to enjoy all those mysteries that lay beneath the surface, just waiting. 

Mickey was halfway slumped over the side when he saw it. Just a quick flash of color before it was gone. A jolt of lightning was slower. He blinked a few times, staring at where he saw it, or thought he saw it. It wasn't yellow or orange, but a greenish blue color. 

"Pathetic." He groaned to himself and relaxed again. It wasn't the mermaid, the colors were wrong. Probably just a dolphin or tuna getting too close to the side, making him think it would be anything other than a fish. 

This shit was making him crazy. Literally, he was losing his mind. It was all he could think about, or dream about. He spent hours down at the beach, searching for evidence or waiting around, hoping to see it. He pretty much kept the drawings on him all the time, taking them no matter where he went. The dreams and the needs they conjured up in his body were making him edgy, frustrated. 

Now he was seeing things?

Or was he? Mickey had his eyes closed when a wave of water splashed him right in the face, drenching everything from the waist up. He sat up, dropping the flask as he wiped his face and peered over the boat. 

He saw it again, something passing by the boat so quickly he couldn't make it out, not even with the full moon shining down on the water. His eyes moved back and forth, nearly bugging out as he searched as hard as possible.

"Knox?*" Mickey asked as he looked back. Knox was laying back on the higher deck, headphones over his ears. "Shit."

Something was there, and it wasn't just a fish. Nothing that would come close enough to the boat and splash him like that. Mickey stood up, still a little wobbly as he moved across the deck, unable to take his eyes off the water. 

"I know you're there." Mickey called out, loud enough to be heard but not to attract Knox. "Just show me." He whispered, stopping to lean against a part of the sail to keep himself upright. 

For awhile, nothing happened. No waves or movement of any kind. No colors rushing passed the surface of the water. Mickey groaned, nearly pulling his hair out. 

Sanity was knowing for sure one way or another. If he actually saw it, great. Or if he never saw anything, also great. But this in-between shit was killing him. He needed to know one way or another or he needed to stop looking altogether...for real this time.

Before he gave up for the night and went to put Iggy on watch, Mickey took one last glance at the water. And he saw it, as clear as the moon above him; a mermaid slowly swimming the length of the boat, not three feet away from him. 

"Holy shit." Mickey laughed, smiling as brightly as possible. 

It was beautiful, just fucking beautiful.

The only thing he could make out were the colors, dark green with blue undertones, two-toned. And the tale looked to be about 6 foot long, not including the human part of its body. That was blurry, just a creamy white smudge under the water, but the hair was red...

This was not yellow with orange undertones, so this wasn't the same mermaid Mandy saw. It was disappointing, but what were the odds that two mermaids would be seen within months of each other? 

Mickey got on his stomach, not minding the water that seeped into his clothes and peered over the side where the water was able to rush back into the ocean. It put his face a foot away from the water, but it was gone again. 

"Come back." Mickey groaned, hanging his head, along with one hand to brush the water with his finger tips. 

So maybe it wasn't the same one, but it was still a mermaid and obviously he was still interested. If he was leaned over the boat trying to touch the damn thing.

"Here fishy fishy," Mickey gigled, that was the booze talking. 

The responding splash had him grinning but this time, as he looked down, it wasn't just the tail he saw, but the face. Mickey's eyes went wide, matching the green eyes blow the water… they looked scared, curious to his surprised look. 

He, yes, he; had bright red hair, green eyes. Just like Mandy said. But the gems around his face were a mix of blue and green, not the same colors she mentioned. But the gills had that blue tint to it and he was amazed to find the lack of ears didn't freak him out as much as he thought it might. It was odd, but not really.

"Wanna come up?" Mickey asked, not expecting an answer.

The water shifted, almost making it look like the mermaid tilted his head in question. But it didn't come up, either because he was afraid, or didn't hear or understand what he said. 

"I won't hurt you." Mickey tried again, scooting up enough to dip the tips of his fingers into the water as half his arm dangled down. "I just want to see you."

A slight head tilt again, which made Mickey smile, until a hand moved in the water. Graceful as it moved upwards, trying to meet his own hand. Mickey didn't move an inch, watching as their fingers nearly touched, seeing that his were indeed slightly webbed, just like Mandy said. 

"Don't be afraid." He whispered, moving a little so more of his hand went into the water. "Just a little closer."

Then it happened. The tips of their fingers touched, barely enough to register the feeling. Mickey smiled when the corner of the mermaids mouth lifted also, smiling right back at him. 

Mickey wasn't sure how long the touch lasted, because it all came to a halt when the boat moved and his hand slipped off the wet side, toppling him into the water. The connection was broken, the mermaid was gone and Mickey was left kicking his arms and legs to reach the surface to take a deep breath.

"Knox!!" He yelled as he treaded water, happy that it was summer and the water wasn't freezing. "Knox!!"

The waves were calm, but it was pitch black outside with only the light of the moon and the dim light onboard that showed any kind of direction. Also, he had been drinking and that was dangerous all on its own. Not to mention sharks, even though that was lower on the death scale as drowning was on the top of that list. 

"Damn it." Mickey groaned. He took a calming breath and moved forward towards the boat. "Knox!" He yelled again as he tried and failed to reach the top part of the boat. His arm was too short, the waves were harsher closer to the boat and he was tired. 

A splash from behind startled him. Mickey jerked around as quickly as possible, a little afraid it might be a curious shark...they did bite people just to see what the hell they were, but at the glimpse of green a few feet away, he relaxed. 

"Gonna gimme a hand or what?" Mickey joked, snorting at himself and not really expecting an answer. 

What he didn't expect was a giant tail to emerge from the water, going high up into the air a few feet, then came crashing right back down, creating one big ass wave that had him turning, swimming fast like you would on a surfboard trying to catch a wave. 

"Shit!" Mickey yelped as he got swept up in the wave with nothing to steady him but the rush of the water. He didn't even see the side of the boat until the upper half of his body was forced against it, knocking the wind out of him. 

The water died down as a coughing fit took over, too much water and the lack of air had him scrambling to grab onto something before he got swept back down. As he blinked the saltwater from his eyes, he could see Knox still laying down, thumping his foot to the music.

"Hey, asshole!" Mickey barked and grabbed the flask he dropped and threw it as hard as he could, hitting the steps right by Knox's feet. 

Knox sat up, eyes wide as he looked around.

Mickey waved one arm high, seeing his friends eyes wide as noticed him. His other hand gripped the slippery deck, doing little to help pull himself up. 

"Shit!" Knox yelled, bending to grip him under both shoulders to pull him up. "What the fuck?"

Mickey ignored him, looking back at the water, surprised to see the tips of that tail slithering back down. It saved him, he saved him. And he stayed to make sure he was able to get back on the boat.

"No night swimming, asshole!" Knox dropped him on the deck, then sat himself down too, breathing hard.

Mickey giggled as he rolled to his back, utterly exhausted but giddy with excitement. That entire thing just happened. He finally saw a fucking mermaid. He was saved by one. He touched one!!

"God, that was incredible." Mickey smiled as he looked up to the stars.

Knox kicked him. "The fuck it was. What the hell happened?"

It would be easy to tell Knox what he saw. And Knox would believe him, or think he was hammered. But Mickey didn't say anything. He kept it to himself, for now at least. It was his alone to think about, to remember over and over again about how that single touch felt. 

"Mickey?" Knox asked, looking down at him, worried. "You okay?"

Mickey nodded, looking at him. "Just an accident, man. Drank too much, got too close to the water."

Knox nodded. "No more booze for tonight, man." He sighed, his voice a little shaky with fear. "Glad you got back up though. I know from experience how hard that is."

When Knox moved, Mickey turned his head back to the water, a secret smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, that shit was hard as fuck. Glad I had some help." He chuckled. 

Knox chuckled, too. "Anytime."

Mickey didn't say it wasn't him. He didn’t say anything. Hell, he didn't even move from that spot. He didn't hear when Quinn and Iggy came up to the deck, confused at what happened, he didn't tell them either. 

For now, that was his mermaid and he didn't want to share.


	3. Treasures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey realizes something about his mermaid and encounters a new problem

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 3- Treasures

It was two whole days before Mickey saw his mermaid again. Each morning, he would look around the boat for him, then again when he pulled the nets up around noon, then he spent half the night waiting to see him again but never did. 

At first he was convinced he dreamt the entire thing, or he was so drunk he imagined him. And in those two days, he never felt more depressed and alone. Five minutes of that mermaids time and now that he was without it felt wrong, lonely. 

So, he worked his ass off. Trying and failing not to think about him again. It might have been easier if he wasn't on the water, but here he was and work only distracted him from physically looking in the water. His brain picked up the slack and it was all he could think about. 

The third day had Mickey alone again, sitting by the wheel, deciding how long it would take to get to Bermuda with their deadline. The boys were below, cooking, playing cards or sleeping, knowing he needed a little space from them.

The water was quiet, still. Not so much as a wave hitting the side of the boat. It was eerie. Mickey kept dozing off, unable to keep his eyes open from the lack of sleep for two nights straight. 

A loud splash had him wide awake, up out of his seat, not caring if the map fell and moved as quickly as possible to the side, peering into the water. Looking for any signs it was him, a flash of green and blue, or bright red hair. 

"Come on." Mickey spoke up enough to be heard from the water but quiet so the guys didn't come up. "It's been two days, man, give me something."

Another splash sounded on the other side of the boat. Mickey smiled, moving across the deck as quickly as he could. The water was in motion from the splash, but still no sign of him. 

Just as he was about to give up, the mermaid appeared, slowly coming up from the water so only his eyes were above the water. Mickey was instantly awestruck. This looked like the same mermaid from last night; same hair and eyes, but the green and blue gems around his eyes were now yellow and orange. Just like Mandy said it was. 

"Wow." Mickey spoke softly and still he startled him. The mermaid sunk a little deeper, almost all the way under. "Don't go, please? I just...uh, your colors," Mickey lamely pointed to his eyes, "they're a different color from last time."

The mermaid cocked his head to the side and Mickey had to smile. His smile seemed to trigger something because he started swimming along side the boat again, and Mickey saw that the color of his tail was different too. 

"Oh, my God." Mickey laughed, watching it shine like liquid gold as he moved slowly through the waves. "It is you, no shit."

So, maybe Mandy hadn't been full of shit like he thought she was. Maybe she really did see him back in Florida. As quickly as his smile appeared, it left just as quickly. If this was the same one, then he was hurt somewhere on his tail.

His entire body felt odd...like he was barely holding onto control. Looking at his mermaid, seeing him this close made him want to get into the water, to swim and get closer to him. In the back of his mind Mickey knew it was dangerous, the water and possibly the mermaid, but his body didn't seem to care. It was pulsing with the need to get in.

Once he stopped swimming and went back to his original spot, Mickey knelt down slowly so he didn't spook him. "Can you understand me?" He asked, unable to take his eyes off of him. "This might be easier if you can."

When all he did was flip his tail, Mickey had no idea if that meant yes or no, or he was pissed off. Flicking his tail the way a cat might when it was irritated. The good news was he didn't swim away, he didn't look as scared as that first time. 

"Okay, I'm just gonna act like you can understand because then I won't feel quite as stupid." He huffed at himself, feeling stupid enough already. "And you need a name, so if you have one let's hear it." The only response he got was the mermaid tilting his head in that curious way again. "Calling you mermaid sounds girlie so I need a name."

No reply, not even a head tilt. One way conversation was such a bitch. How the hell were they supposed to communicate? Mickey didn't know anything about mermaids other than what Mandy mentioned once or twice and what others said, that they were rare and beautiful, or dangerous. He heard that once before too. 

This one didn't seem dangerous. Shy, curious maybe, not to mention helpful. Kept his stupid ass from drowning. And it was hard to believe something so beautiful could be dangerous…

"Okay, let's just try okay?" Mickey sat down, kicking off his boots and let his legs hang off the side. "If You understand, just nod once, okay? Like this." Mickey nodded once and the mermaid copied him, nodding in the most adorable way. "Yes! Good, very good." 

The waves picked up a little, slapping against the outside of the boat, splashing up his legs. It felt nice but it seemed to confuse the mermaid. His head tilted a little again and he moved a little closer. Like he didn't know why only his feet were in the water. 

"Can you understand what I'm saying?" Mickey asked. 

The mermaid nodded once.

Mickey grinned. "Okay, good. Can you talk?"

Again, he nodded once. 

"Okay, so you just don't wanna talk or is it me?" Mickey asked, not really sure if he wanted the answer. If the mermaid didn't want to talk, why did he come back.

This time he shook his head no. No as in he didn't want to talk, or no it wasn't him? This shit was confusing and if it had been anyone else doing this, Mickey would have lost his temper. 

"Not sure what to make of that, but it's progress." He smiled, noticing the small lift in the mermaids mouth as well, possibly a smile. "Well, my name is Mickey. And thanks for helping last night, I don't think I would have drowned or anything but it would have sucked without help."

It seemed like he was about to come closer, until he just sank under the water. Mickey leaned forward, trying to follow the golden glow of his tail beyond the blue wall of water, but soon even he couldn't see it. Obviously he said something wrong, or offensive, or it was possible the mermaid never even understood and that he was only copying his movements.

"Yeah, good talk, man." Mickey said sadly and stood up, grabbing his shoes as he moved away. But before he could get halfway across the deck, water was being slung at his back. "The fuck?" He turned, his back soaking wet, only to see that his mermaid returned. 

Mickey dropped his shoes and walked back, about to sit down when he stepped on something. He looked down, surprised to see a cluster of small pink sea shells on the edge of the deck where he'd been sitting. 

The shells spelled a name, Ian. 

Mickey laughed and bent down. "Ian, huh?" The mermaid nodded once. "Well Ian, it's nice to meet you." He set his shoes to the side and reclaimed his seat, choosing to sit beside the name rather than mess it up. "You are the one from last night, right?"

Ian nodded, eyes searching.

"Why the color change?" Mickey pointed to his tail that was slowly moving back and forth below the water. "I didn't know mermaids could do that."

Ian didn't nod this time, he didn't do anything aside from stare right back at him. It felt like Ian was looking right into his soul, into his mind. Trying to understand, or look for danger of some kind.

"You remember seeing that girl before, when you were on the shore?" Mickey asked instead of figuring out the color angle. 

Ian nodded, eyebrows drawn in. 

"That's Mandy, my sister." Mickey smiled when Ian's eyes widened. "Yeah, she told me she saw you. She wouldn't stop talking about it and I didn't believe her."

Ian tilted his head, frowning. 

Mickey figured he was probably trying to ask why. "I've never seen one of you before. Not with my own eyes. I guess I convinced myself you weren't real."

It was odd to think that only two months ago he hadn't believed Mandy about what she saw. Not all the way at least. And now here he was, talking to the same mermaid. More like talking at, instead of to. Ian seemed to want to talk but didn't actually want to speak. 

"She also said that you were hurt." Mickey made sure to keep his voice soft, even. "Are you?"

It took a while, but Ian nodded, his face drawn up in a look of anguish, of confusion. 

"Can I see?" This time Ian shook his head, sinking further into the water. Mickey held up his hands, trying to show that he meant no harm. "Easy man, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

It surprised him when Ian moved closer. Mickey sucked in a sharp breath. Up close, Ian was more beautiful than he first thought. He could see more than just the color of his eyes, or each delicate gem around his face. Ian was undeniably beautiful. 

He had sharp features, his sturdy jaw, a little crooked on one side. His prominent cheekbones, the straightness of his nose. Ian's lips looked a little too pink, almost like he was wearing lipstick. Soft looking. His gills looked very delicate, see through as he stared at them, lightly tinted blue instead of ears. 

It was odd to find him attractive. Not because he was a guy because Mickey had long since accepted that he was gay and attracted to men. But because they were two different species. Very similar but not at the same time. 

"I promise I won't hurt you." Mickey repeated, putting aside all those thoughts to focus on right now. "Could be a hook, or a piece of wood from a boat."

Ian shook his head and slowly turned to the side. Mickey tried not to move but his tail was so incredible, all those scales lapped over each other. Shining under the bright sun. It really did look like gold. But about halfway down, a big chunk of those scales were missing, replaced by raw, pink skin and there was something lodged inside it.

"Fuck, that looks like it hurts." Mickey longed to reach out and help him, but he barely had his trust. It would be a mistake to touch him. "Can't get it out?"

Ian shook his head no, then that beautiful tail moved back below the water. Mickey missed it already. 

A commotion from below had them both jumping. Mickey cursed at the annoying sound of Iggy's voice and knew his time with Ian was over for now. He glanced at the water, surprised to see him still floating there, green eyes wide. 

"They won't bite, that's just my brother and my crew." Mickey explained. Even when he didn't know if what he said was true or not. But he had no intention of telling them. "But they are rather loud."

Ian nodded, sinking lower. 

"Will you come back?" Mickey asked before he was too far under. "Maybe tonight if you want?"

Ian looked back and forth, seeming to be on the lookout for something but didn't find it. Mickey was so relieved when Ian nodded yes to his questions and held one webbed hand up.

Mickey's eyes were wide at the gesture. But he held his hand up to, making sure to keep it absolutely still as Ian swam closer. It was so hard not to reach out and touch him. To see if Ian's hair felt the same as his own, or what his skin might feel like. He just kept still, studying every inch of Ian's face as their hands touched. 

"You're beautiful." Mickey whispered, not meaning to say it aloud. Ian gave him a real smile this time and Mickey could have sworn his heart skipped a beat. And that need came back doubled in strength, urging him to get in, if only for a moment.

Ian's hand was wet of course, dripping with water, but it was so smooth, like a baby's. His skin was lighter than his own, and the webbing didn't freak him out, not at all. 

"Better go, don't want them to see you. They ask too many questions." Mickey hated himself for saying goodbye, but it wasn't safe for anyone to know about Ian. Himself included. 

With another small smile, Mickey watched Ian disappear beneath the water. The yellow gold of his tail gleaming until Ian got too deep to he seen and his heart hurt to watch him go. Now he felt alone, even when the rest of his crew surrounded him. 

"Mickey, we got a problem." 

Mickey stood, forcing himself to push the name formed from shells back into the water so they wouldn't see it. "What problem?" He asked, uninterested, trying to will away the desire to jump in and swim after him. 

"Mandy just called, she said that Wilcox has been following us since we left Miami."

He narrowed his eyes, no longer irritated at the interruption but at Willcox. "How the hell does she know this?"

Iggy smiled, along with Quinn and Knox behind him. "She put a tracer on his boat, wanted to keep an eye on him."

Mickey laughed. "No shit, since when?"

"I guess since he found that mermaid a few months ago." Iggy explained and handed the tracking receiver to Mickey. "She said she didn't trust him when she talked to him about it. Wanted to keep an eye on him."

Mandy was a smart motherfucker. That talk with Noah that she had a while back turned out to be a waste of time, just like he knew it would be. She came home pissed off, claiming he was lying to her. Not a far fetched idea, Noah was a damn liar. Which meant that his mermaid story was probably all bullshit. 

"He's been following us the entire time?" Mickey asked, looking at the blinking dot that he knew was their boat. After they had that engine trouble, Mandy rigged the boat so she could always know where they were. "That the hell for?"

Iggy shook his head. "No idea. He isn't even set to start for another month or two."

The blinking red dot could only be Noah's boat and it looked like it was right on top of them. "This is fucking sketchy, guys." Mickey glanced out towards the open ocean and saw Noah's boat. "He go freelance or is he after something else?"

Knox nodded. "We would have gotten word if he up and left. That shit spreads like it did in high school."

Mickey nodded because he was right. "Maybe since he caught that mermaid, he's no longer interested in the simple shit."

Fuck this was bad. If Noah abandoned fishing in hopes to find and capture another mermaid, then Ian was in serious fucking trouble. Noah was ruthless like the best of them, but he had no conscience. Knowing what he did about Noah, probably meant that female mermaid be caught had been alive at some point.

"Knox, you got my gun still?" Mickey asked and slipped the receiver into his jeans. 

Knox's eyes widened. "Course Mickey, got it locked in the box. Why?"

The boat was approaching fast and Mickey moved back to the wheel and the water proof lock box hidden next to it. "Because Noah is an unpredictable bastard on the best of days and he just changed his entire fucking life for this." He grabbed the gun and tucked it at the small of his back before playing it cool. "I'm not taking any chances with him."

Noah wasn't dangerous per say, but he was a wild card. Always had been and it was a mistake to assume you knew him when no one really did. And now, not knowing where his head was or why he was following them, Mickey wasn't going to let his guard down. 

"Mickey," Iggy started but stopped, eyes wide.

"Just play it cool, boys." Mickey fixed his hat and glanced at the map as Noah's boat slithered along side his. "But be aware, he steps foot on this boat and I will shoot him."

Knox was the only one who smiled, who approved of his harsh methods. 

"Milkovich!!" Noah shouted, a playful sound in his voice. 

Mickey stood, one hand going to his lower back out of instinct and moved passed his shocked crew and moved back to where he and Ian had been. Ian...he was praying Ian was far away from this guy and promised that if or when Ian came back, he would warn him.

"Wilcox," Mickey managed a fake smile as he leaned against the side of the boat. "Maybe you're still confused. You know the triangle is mine."

Noah managed his own smile. "It's big enough for the both of us. Don't you think?"

"No, it's not. Only you seem to think so." Mickey gave him a pointed look. So far, no one had been on Noah's side. "You ditch work because you can't have your way?"

"Kinda," Noah smiled salaciously. "I found a new place of employment that pays quadruple what we got paid before because it's twice as dangerous."

Noah was hunting mermaids, just like the rest of those disgraceful people. Fishing was one thing, it was needed for food and to keep the population from reaching an all-time high, but mermaids? People didn't eat the damn things, or he sure as fuck hoped not. And there was no need to control their population because they were rare, probably close to extinction. Noah was in it for the fame and the money.

"Then fuck off," Mickey smiled as he said it, a silent fuck you. "I have actual work to do here, unlike some people."

"You always were an asshole Mickey. But then again, I already knew that." Noah winked. Mickey's tensed, wondering if the others were sharing those odd, confused looks. He had no explanation for them if they were, he just couldn't go there. Noah shook his head, amused. "Maybe after this next payday, I'll show you the money you could make if you join me. Bigger boat, bigger house, more dick than you can get on your own."

Mickey clenched his teeth as his crew shifted uncomfortably behind him. Only Mandy knew he was gay, and for good reason. People seemed to lose a certain amount of respect for you when they realize you like dick instead of pussy. Not even Iggy knew, but he had a hint. Knox and Quinn, no clue. Until now. His business was private, especially who he fucked and where and when. But Noah knew...he always knew. Now he decided someone--everyone else should too. 

"Well, I like my boat and my house just as they are and I never needed anybody's help gettin ass." Mickey sneered, not willing to take the bait like Noah wanted him to. "Now, should I repeat my flattering goodbye or do you get the picture?"

Noah signaled his helmsman and slowly pulled away, looking into the water as he did so. "I know he's around here Mickey, I've seen him."

It was extremely hard not to react to that. Noah already knew about Ian somehow. Shit. That was not good. Noah was a shark and Ian was this fragile, delicate, beautiful creature...and he was hurt. 

"What's he talkin about?" Quinn asked for everyone.

Mickey shook his head, lying directly to Noah and his crew. "No fucking idea. I guess that's what happens when you go off your meds, right Noah?"

"Lie all you want, kid, but I know you know."

Mickey clenched his teeth. 

"And you know me well enough to know that I never give up when I want something. Never."

The side of the boat creaked under the pressure of his grip. Noah was getting further away with each heavy breath he took. Panic was clawing him from the inside, imagining Ian like that other mermaid Noah found. And even if he didn't know Ian as much as he wanted to, there was no way he would let anything happen to him. 

"Should we know what that was about?" Iggy asked, eyes curious.

Mickey shook his head. "I can only guess it has to do with that mermaid he found a few months ago. That's why he's not fishing anymore."

Quinn scuffed. "That sick fucking bastard."

Mickey couldn't agree more. "I can almost bet that one had been alive before Noah got to it. Now he's looking for more."

"Mick, he seemed to think you know about one close to here." Iggy stated carefully. "Do you?"

Don't lie...don't lie...don't lie…

"No, I have no idea what he's talkin about." Mickey lied, making his stomach turn painfully. "Come on, let's get back to work."

He hated to lie to them. Or Mandy. But Ian was safer if only he knew about him. If too many people knew, it would be easier for Noah to find out and they all knew how that would turn out. They'd have another dead mermaid. 

The boys went back to work and Mickey closed his eyes, resting his head on top of his arms folded on the side of the boat. He needed to be careful too, about when he met Ian at night, or during the day now. Noah could be spying on them, waiting for him to make his move and Ian would be as good as gone. 

"Be careful, Ian." Mickey whispered as he opened his eyes and saw there was one single pink tinted shell at his feet. One that hadn't been there before. 

He bent down, making sure to hide it from any prying eyes and picked it up. It was wet, as if it had just been placed there. Mickey grinned and closed his fist around it as he stood and saw the tip of a yellow tail dive deep into the water. 

"I see you, Ian," Mickey put the shell into his pocket, squeezing as he smiled. "I see you."


	4. Under The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian's POV

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 4- Under The Sea

(Ian's POV)

Ian didn't quite understand this feeling inside him because he'd never felt it before, not within nearly 300 years of living. The only thing he could describe it as, was warm. It was warm and lovely and it had that feeling of home that he hadn't felt in decades. 

That human, the one with eyes the same color as the ocean he loved so much. He'd never seen one so lovely before, with the brightest smile and a laugh that made his stomach flutter. 

It didn't take very much to follow him, his boat. He moved slowly enough for him to keep up, putting strange nets in the water for a reason Ian hadn't figured out yet. But he was never alone. There were always three loud humans with him at all times. Saying things he didn't understand, full of smiles and laughter for the human with the ocean eyes. 

Ian saw him for the first time when he was on land, just after he got hurt. The human was on the shore by the lighthouse, asleep, dreaming if he remembered correctly. He wasn't dangerous with hooks or traps, but soft as he slept. Harmless and beautiful and Ian had stayed for as long as he possibly could before he woke up. Now he felt drawn to him. 

Ian was up there for a reason, his tail had been so damaged that he had to crawl up the beach and take refuge amongst the sharp rocks hidden behind the light house. Whatever was stuck in his tail, wouldn't come out and Ian had tried everything including taking sharp objects to try and dig it out, but it wouldn't leave. 

Even as the sunset turned into sunrise and his legs appeared, the object was still buried deep within his skin. It was lodged in the upper part of his tail, or his thigh for those few long, miserable hours he was forced to look at them. It was dark in color, but sharp, like a knife and it had a small red blinking light at one end.

It wouldn't come out and it was putting strain on his tail when he swam. Or his legs when he had to sit on the beach, because he had no idea how to use his legs Any more, it had been nearly 100 years since he last used them. That's what curses were about. To damage you, to make your life miserable and every time he was forced into that temporary human form, the wound grew in size. Making it raw and painful in the salt water. Attracting predators he'd rather avoid, and not the human kind. 

That's when that girl saw him, before the human male by a few hours. Ian hadn't expected to be found, much less on land and it had been just seconds before his legs morphed back into his tail. For a moment, he thought she would hurt him since he was hurt and vulnerable. But all she did was stare with her mouth open, looking like she had been in shock upon seeing him. He managed to escape, surprised when she didn't follow him into the water or a boat hadn't appeared hours later looking for him.

That was before he met the human, Mickey, as he said his name was. Still soft looking even when he was awake, with his incredible eyes. Trying to get him to come closer or to talk. Calling him beautiful, something Ian hadn't heard from his kind before. 

Ian hadn't meant to come so close to the boat that night, but something had attracted him and the more he fought it, the harder the pull was. He took a risk and it turned out for the better. Mickey was as interesting as he was mysterious and Ian had been weary of him the entire time, yet nothing bad had happened. 

He even saved him from drowning that first night he fell into the water. Ian created a big enough wave to push him to the boat and the next day he received the sweetest thank you. Mickey had tried communicating with him, even when he wasn't sure they spoke the same language. Gave him his name like it meant nothing, like his name wasn't as sacred as it should have been, as his was. 

Giving one's name to strangers was dangerous. So many bad things could happen just from giving the wrong person your name. Ian experienced that for himself and to this day he had to live with the consequences. So, why did he like that Mickey knew his name, or the way he said it? 

Mickey got him to smile, something he couldn't remember the last time he actually smiled. Before his curse maybe, all those years ago. But Mickey liked to smile, Ian liked when he smiled and made him smile. He liked when he allowed Mickey to touch him; using their most intimate greeting with a human, touching hands like he was a mermaid like him. Mickey hadn't scared him or tried to grab him and keep him, he simply let their hands touch and seem grateful for the contact. 

Ian couldn't get his human, couldn't get Mickey off his mind. Not even as he watched the underside of the boat from below, sitting on top of a large rock deep under the water. He wanted to go up again, to see him and talk. To get that flutter in his stomach when Mickey smiled. But it wasn't safe. 

Mickey's was not the only boat on the water. There was another. One he'd seen many times since he got hurt. It seemed to be where he was at all times, like it knew where and when he would swim to another spot. And now that he stayed, unwilling to leave Mickey, the other boat stayed as well. Only a few hundred feet away, but he still hadn't gone back to the surface yet.

"Curious." Ian murmured to himself as a playful little fish wove around his tail in a spiral. "Any idea when I should go up?" He asked the little fish, not expecting an answer but there was no one else to ask. "Yeah," Ian sighed deeply, a little unhappily. "Me either."

The water was getting darker, which meant the sun was going down. Ian looked down the length of his tail and watched the yellow orange scales bloom into greenish blue. He didn't even feel the change, or that of the gems around his eyes or down the length of his back. It just felt like a strong wave moved across his body and suddenly he was a different color. 

Ian smiled when he remembered how amazed his human was at the change. Mickey even asked him how it was possible but their little nodding agreement wouldn't allow him to explain in detail of why mermaids had two different colors. It was for survival, of course. Just like the strength of their tail to ward off predators, or to be able to swim faster for longer, or the sound of their voice, if not being careful, could lure humans into the water, to their death. It was all about survival. 

If a human saw him as a mermaid with a yellow tail, they would always be on the lookout for that color and not think twice upon seeing one with another color tail. Deception. It was also linked with the sun and the moon, one set of colors for the daylight hours and another set of colors for the nighttime hours. 

Showing Mickey both his colors was something he had never done before. Not with anyone...well, maybe one person. The same person he had to "thank" for his curse, for the human flesh in shape of useless legs. The one mistake that he could never get away from. 

And Mickey seemed to enjoy both sets of colors equally. Beautiful; it was a word he'd heard many times from him over the last few days and each time he heard it, his stomach would flutter in that unusual way. 

But what really shocked him, was Mickey asking about his tail. If he was hurt and able to get it out. Offering to get it out had him a little nervous. In his lifetime, the human touch had been vile, painful. They used hooks and knives or traps and spears, or looks, as he himself had been trapped by a pretty face only one other time. But Mickey backed off when he panicked, held his hands up like he meant no harm and no harm had been done. 

Mickey was good, and Ian was just beginning to accept that without a doubt. 

"I think it's time," Ian said as he tickled the fish's tail, making him swim away. "It's time."

Ian had a bit of a hard time swimming off the top of that rock, his tail was stiff, cascading with sharp pains and not even the two dozen clams he managed to eat that day helped dull the pain like it normally did. After a few painful twists, he managed to swim up to the bottom of the boat, running his fingers along the jagged muscles stuck to the bottom of it. He swam around the many nets that scraped the bottom of the floor, picking up what he figured must be treasures of some kind. If the nets weren't for him or others like him, he didn't know their purpose. 

By the time he swam around the boat, mindful of the sharp propeller, the sun was fully set behind the clouds and the moon was peeking from behind the water. The other boat still hadn't moved from its place and Ian felt confident he would be safe enough to swim up. 

Ian did as he always did when coming up, he hovered below the surface to observe what he could without the shield of water. The boat was quiet as it was most nights, only a few dims lights on top and no sounds of Mickey's other humans. But he could hear Mickey walking, the beat he recognized by the sway of his hips as he walked, confident, determined. 

Ian slowly emerged from the water, not minding the wind against his gills as much as he used to and moved his tail slowly under him, keeping him steady against the waves. 

"Come on, Ian," Mickey whispered. "Where are you?"

Ian smiled at the sound of his name on Mickey's lips, and the fact that he had already been searching for him far before he came to the surface. Up until now, he'd gotten Mickey's attention by splashing him, but the human must be running out of dry clothes by this point and Ian wasn't really sure how else to signal he was there.

With nothing else to use, not including his actual voice which he hadn't used yet, Ian gave a little splash, flipping water with his tail against the side of the boat. 

"Ian?"

His stomach gave that nervous flutter again at Mickey's voice and it only intensified when he came to the side of the boat, smile already in place. Ian offered his own smile, or a fraction of it and watched ocean eyes take in as much of his appearance as he could see.

"Shit, there you are." Mickey kicked his shoes off and took a seat on the deck. "I was worried."

A human worried about a mermaid. Ian thought there was no such thing until this moment. And Mickey did look worried, his eyes gazed across his body, maybe looking for signs of new wounds, and relaxed when he found none. 

"You okay?" Mickey asked. 

Ian nodded, like he usually did when Mickey asked a question. Then he looked out into the dark water, towards that boat and he knew when Mickey realized what he was asking.

"Yeah, that's why I was worried." Mickey handed him a pair of binoculars. 

Ian cocked his head to the side as he slowly reached up to take them. He looked at Mickey, silently asking. 

"Hold em up to your eyes and look at the boat." Mickey mimicked the use of binoculars. "It'll help you see."

Ian held them up to his face, blinking quickly at the foreign feeling. It took awhile for his eyes to adjust, then longer to make out the shape of a boat and finally knew what he was looking at. Ian could see people walking up top, using the same device he was, using nets and traps as well as hooks at the end of spears. 

"You ever see that boat before?"

Ian pulled the device back and handed it up to Mickey as he nodded and blinked quickly for his eyes to adjust. 

"You need to stay away from that boat, at all times." Mickey warned. "He seems to know that you're here, and he's not as nice as I am."

Ian instantly knew who they were; hunters. The same ones that had injured him and took his friend away. They were dangerous, monstrous. Everything Mickey wasn't. He was right, they had been following him as he thought, but the how was still unknown to him.

"It's hard to tell when you're going to come up like this, so just make sure that boat isn't around when you do."

Ian nodded, sinking deeper without realizing it. He turned away from the boat and all those awful thoughts and focused on Mickey. Even without using his eyes, Ian could feel Mickey's eyes on him, looking over every inch of him he could, like he always did. 

"But I'm glad you're okay, I was kinda on the lookout for you all day." Mickey laughed nervously. 

Ian let out a similar sound without meaning to and ocean eyes widened, looking a little surprised. It was easy to forget to be mysterious around him, easy to be himself, even if he took a long time doing so. 

"It kinda sounds like church bells when you laugh." Mickey said after the shock wore off. "Or birds singing."

Ian didn't know what church bells were and the birds he'd heard had been loud and obnoxious but he couldn't mean that, right? He tilted his head, saying he didn't understand and Mickey help up his finger.

"Not like annoying seagulls or anything, but like song birds." Mickey took out his phone and quickly googled it until the sound played from his phone.

Ian flinched, sinking lower at the sound. It didn't seem dangerous just new and weird but the sound was nice enough that he rose back up, eyes focused on Mickey's hands and that beautiful sound.

"Beautiful, right?"

Ian nodded, smiling up at him. So, he let out another laugh, and then another until Mickey's smile was as bright as the moon. He was the beautiful one, even if he wore those bulky human clothes and hand legs instead of a tail. 

"I really need to record that sometime, that way I can play it when you're not around." Mickey put away his phone and brought out the pink shell.

Ian felt his face heat up upon seeing the little gift he left earlier. It had been a last minute choice, he caught one of the shells he used to spell his name as it sank back to the floor and risked being caught so he could set it back on the boat. He just didn't think Mickey would have kept it. 

"Thank you for leaving this." Mickey rubbed over it with his thumb. "I didn't want to get rid of the others but I'm sure they would have seen it."

Ian nodded in full understanding. Mickey was keeping his humans away from him, even after swearing they wouldn't do him any harm. That's why he left that one shell and Mickey seemed to like it.

"I have something for you too, if you want it."

Ian's eyes widened a little and moved closer to the boat to see what Mickey had in his hand. Already he wanted it, it was shiny and round and gleaned under the light of the moon. 

"Nothing as good as a shell, but I found it a few years ago when I was working." Mickey smiled happily and leaned down to place the coin in the palm of Ian's hand. "Supposed to be an old pirate coin but who knows where it actually came from."

Ian thought it was much better than a simple shell he found at the bottom of the ocean. He had seen millions just like it before and had no idea why Mickey seemed to like it. But he had never seen a coin like this before. The letters were worn down, making it unreadable, the salt water made it shine better than when it was made. 

"Thank you." Ian whispered out loud and heard Mickey gasp. He looked up, ocean eyes wide. Those were his first words to Mickey. 

"You're welcome." Mickey replied dumbfounded, his eyes a little too wide. "I love your voice."

Ian smiled shyly. "I like yours, too." He said back, unable to glance away from his eyes, even with his shiny new treasure. 

"This is gonna sound fucking weird." Mickey started, blushing halfway through. "But can we do that hand touch thing again?"

Ian was inclined to say yes, even without Mickey's reasoning for wanting it again.

"I keep thinking about it. It gives me this strange feeling, like…" he trailed off, not knowing how to word it.

But Ian knew. Touching like that, hand to hand was more intimate than kissing. No one ever said why, but the feelings created after seemed to be the reason behind it. Feelings like what Mickey was trying to explain. Feelings that would only amplify if it kept happening. 

Ian couldn't or wouldn't say no. Instead of saying yes, Ian simply transferred the coin to his right hand and held up his left. It was a little too far down to reach Mickey's extended hand, until he gave a little twist of his tail and a wave swept him up higher, holding him there much like when he saved Mickey. 

"You control the water, too?" Mickey asked, truly amazed. 

Ian shook his head. "Nothing controls the water Mickey, but it helps those who need it."

Mickey nodded, too entranced with the way Ian said his name to ask too many questions at the moment. He held his hand up, just like last time and kept as still as possible.

Ian extended his hand, pressing it lightly against Mickey's and the feeling was instant. It felt like power, like love and excitement. Ian could feel Mickey's pulse, his heart beating like crazy. 

Their eyes met and Ian noticed that the color of Mickey's eyes, as well as his own, together matched the color of his tail. A weird thought to have in that moment, but he couldn't unthink it. 

"It feels so incredible." Mickey gasped, shivering. 

Ian nodded and linked their fingers as much as possible since Mickey's weren't webbed like his own. "It feels like pure energy."

Mickey nodded, squeezing a little. "It feels like magic." Mickey leaned down, aware that he was leaning far over the boat. 

"You have to resist that feeling, Mickey." Ian whispered and put his other hand on Mickey's chest, keeping him from leaning in further. "Otherwise you will end up in the water."

"What if I want to be in the water?" Mickey responded automatically, still leaning down. "I want to see you swim."

"The water is much too rough tonight." Ian kept pushing him back and unlinked their fingers even when he didn't want to. Even when he missed the feeling. But Mickey seemed to snap out of it, coming back to himself. "How do you feel now?"

Mickey twitched, his body feeling off, feeling like it was missing something. But he didn't feel the need to be in the water now. "What was that?"

Ian smiled, letting the water lower him away from the boat so they wouldn't be tempted to touch again. "They call mermaids dangerous for a reason Mickey. Or have you not heard?"

"I've heard that before, but you don't seem dangerous." Mickey clenched and unclenched his hands, feeling whatever it was just below his skin. "How can that be dangerous?"

"If I'd have let you, you'd have followed me into the water just now." He watched Mickey think it over before he nodded. "And you'd have drown."

Mickey's eyes widened a little. "I wanted to follow you, Ian. I still do, only it's not as strong. Did you mean to do that?"

Ian shook his head, choosing to look at his coin again instead of Mickey's eyes. "It doesn't happen to everyone who meets a mermaid because it's never been like it is with you and me. But it's something about me that makes you want to come into the water, even when you shouldn't."

Mickey nodded. "I only remember that happening once before. The day I went to the beach, when my sister told me she saw you."

Ian nodded because he had been there and this had happened then as well. His tail barely touched Mickey that time and he was already trying to slip below the waves. It was too dangerous, so he left, making sure Mickey didn't drown that day. 

"You were there, weren't you?"

Ian nodded again. "I go there from time to time because the water is too rough for boats. The rocks make sure of it. It's safe there."

"So, what? Mermaids make people want to go into the water? Like all those myths about sirens luring men to their deaths?" Mickey asked, remembering when Mandy said that a few months back during her research period. 

"Similar, I'm afraid. But in those instances, it was used as protection from hunters that wanted us dead." Ian hadn't meant to share so much, but there was something about his human… "We only have a few things to protect ourselves, but I do not wish your death, Mickey. So, you must stay out of the water if that feeling comes back."

Mickey nodded even if he didn't fully understand. "Maybe when it wears off?" He asked with a smile.

Ian grinned this time, fully aware of the way Mickey's widened. "Maybe, if you're a good swimmer."

Mickey chuckled. "Of course I am. Anyone on the water needs to know how to swim."

"I agree." Ian sunk a little lower again, this time because his tail was throbbing as it did when he worked himself too hard.

"You okay?"

"Just my tail." Ian tried to relax a little, letting the water help him float instead of himself. "Still can't get that thing out."

"You sure you don't want me to help?" Mickey offered again, hoping Ian said yes to him this time. "Or at least let me take a closer look and maybe tell you what it is?"

Ian wanted to say yes. He wanted that awful thing out of him before it caused permanent damage. But he just felt so exposed like that, even around Mickey. Even without meaning to. 

"Thank you for the offer, Mickey, but…" Ian couldn't say why but he didn't need to. 

Mickey nodded. "The offer stands at any time, Ian. I just don't want it to get worse."

It had been getting worse. Every day it was worse. It made him stiff, unable to swim as well as he should have been able to and the pain was constant. The skin around it was raw, unsheltered by scales that refused to grow around it. But it had been caused by humans, and now another human wanted to see it. 

His body just refused the help. 

"I know you hang around my boat sometimes, but where is home for you?" Mickey asked, changing the subject to make him feel less uncomfortable. 

Home. That was something he almost forgotten. Each day without it put it further from his memory and he hadn't decided if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Either or, he missed it. 

"I have a few places," Ian smiled, his places were far from what he was used to but that was home for him. "It's not really home, but it's safe and it's mine."

Mickey nodded, fully understanding that sometimes you have to make your own home. "Any family?"

Looking away, Ian shook his head. "My family has been gone for decades." 

Mickey lifted his eyebrows at that. "Decades, huh?" Ian nodded again. "Exactly how old are you?"

"It gets hard to keep track after a while, but I make sure to remind myself every hundred years or so." Ian didn't expect Mickey to laugh at that, but it was different from his other laugh, a little nervous sounding if Ian had to put a word to it. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Mickey laughed again, turning the shell over in his hands. "I thought maybe you'd say twenty years old or something like that. Not shoot up to the hundreds."

"Are you only twenty years old?" Ian asked, tilting his head a little.

Mickey nodded. "More like twenty-five but yeah, in the 20's. I guess it's safe to say you are way too old for me." He chuckled again. 

"Two-hundred and eighty-five is quite a bit older than twenty-five years, but I have a feeling that humans age a little differently than we do." Ian hadn't seen many humans up close like this but living on land must age you faster than moving in the water. He was quite a bit older than Mickey but looked younger. 

"Holy Shit, 285 years old?" He asked, shocked. Finding no signs of age on his perfect face. "Whatever the secret is to eternal youth, make sure you don't let anyone know or everyone will last forever."

"Even I won't last forever, Mickey, but most mermaids don't live long enough to die the natural way." He glanced back towards the other boat, feeling a chill up his spine even from being that far away. "And you're the only human I've talked to in over a hundred years, so I think the secret is safe."

"That's a long time, Ian." Mickey gave a sad smile. "What about friends?"

"I had one," Ian looked back up, almost wishing he was up there or Mickey was in the water. "She was captured a few months ago. Taken the same day that thing got stuck in my tail."

Mickey knew Ian's friend had been the mermaid that Noah had found a few months ago. And to think that he could have gotten Ian instead, or also gave him a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

"I'm sorry about your friend."

Ian smiled sadly. "Thank you." Ian could feel the sun, still a few hours from rising but he felt the burn, and could feel that panic set in. "I need to go." He said quickly, saddened by the look on Mickey's face. "I'm sorry."

Mickey nodded. "It's late, or early. Guess we have been taking longer than I expected." Mickey also glanced back as the sky began to get lighter. "I'll be here whenever you want to come back, just keep a lookout."

Ian nodded, sinking lower with the coin firmly in his palm. "Thank you Mickey, for the coin." He quickly dug through the crown on his head made from shells and flowers from the sea and found the large pearl he'd found this morning. "This is for you."

Mickey watched in awe as the water lifted Ian up again and held his hand out. The pearl was huge, the biggest one he'd ever seen. He closed his hand around it as Ian sank back down. "Thank you. Be careful."

"You too, Mickey." 

Ian had to force himself to go back under the water and swim as fast as possible. The waves were in his favor this time, guiding him to that underwater cave he found years ago. It took a little over an hour to swim, longer because he was hurt. But it was almost too late. He could feel that painful prickle through his tail, warning him to hurry. 

"Almost there." He whispered to himself and swam faster but the water in his lungs was already starting to burn, his body was rejecting it every second the sun came out from hiding. 

The opening to the cave was all the way at the bottom of the ocean. Ian swam inside, holding his breath the entire way up, feeling his tail changing. He almost didn't make it. But he did, barely. Ian broke free of the water just as he coughed up a mouthful of water and had to pull himself to the rocks on the shore.

Only half of the cave was filled with water, the other half was just like the beach on land. Soft sand and warm rocks, but no sun or any light at all. Ian had to claw his way up the sand, groaning as that object dug deeper into the skin of his left leg. 

By the time he made it, he was exhausted, trying to relearn how to breathe air after almost 22 hours under the water. 

"I hate this." Ian whispered, close to tears, glancing down at his legs. Pale and weak, and damaged on one side. Useless. He'd long forgotten how to use them, now he just had to wait it out, wait until his tail came back. 

It was only for a few hours, but in that time, without his tail and the feel of the ocean against his skin, Ian was forced to lay there and remember exactly how and why he had legs. 

It was his own fault, trusting a human all those years ago, falling in love with him. It hadn't ended how he thought it would, how he was promised it would turn out. His heart had been broken and he had gotten stuck with a pair of legs he never wanted, a curse. 

All for loving the wrong person too much, and then loving the ocean more than that one human. 

Now he was on that path again, with Mickey as the treasure on the other side. With his kind heart and his ocean eyes, Ian knew if he let himself, he would easily love Mickey, far more than before. 

Maybe that would be enough to break his curse...maybe then he could be happy.


	5. The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mandy gives Mickey reassurance and Mickey is worried about Ian in the storm

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 5- The Storm

Mickey was lying on his bed, staring at the pictures Mandy drew of Ian and how realistic they looked. Right down to the scales on his hairline to the gems around the corners of his eyes, it was perfect. When he brought them out, he had every intention to call her and tell her what had been happening over the last few days. Just to reassure her that Ian was alive despite being hurt and with Noah running around like a bulldog with his teeth showing. Maybe see if she had any more information on mermaids now that he was listening, now that he believed her. 

Which he would never hear the end of, by the way. That she had been right the whole time and for him to apologize like he promised he would if he actually saw Ian. Maybe he would even tell her about what was going on; the small gifts traded between the two of them, that overwhelming feeling of wanting to be in the water where Ian was. 

Ian had all but admitted that sirens, or mermaids, had the ability to manipulate the feelings of others to protect themselves. That the myths about mermaids being dangerous, or luring men to their deaths was real. That it was a survival strategy when people tried to harm or capture them. And if what he felt before was true, it wouldn't take much for Ian to talk him into getting into the water when it wasn't safe for him. To harm or kill him, survival or no survival. But he hadn't. Ian hadn't even used those mystical powers on Noah who was trying to kill or capture him because that's not who Ian was. 

Ian was innocent and beautiful and full of so much life. There was this glow under his skin like the sun was hidden just beneath the surface. It sounded like songbirds when he laughed and a church choir when he spoke...when they spoke. 

It was still hard to believe that Ian had spoken to him. Not just simple nods of his head, but actual words this time and it sounded just as beautiful as he imagined it would, better even.

He learned so much last night; Ian's incredible age, bordering on 300 years old, which was incredible considering he didn't look a day over eighteen. He learned that his friend had been the mermaid Noah captured, which was as awful as it sounded because it could have been Ian. They had been together when she had been taken, and Noah still managed to hurt Ian in the process, damaging him. Scaring him to the point where he didn't want help from a human, not even from him. Even when Ian trusted him. 

It was also a bit of a shock to discover that Ian had been on the beach that day when he'd gone looking for Ian, when he had that erotic dream. In that dream he had wanted to follow Ian in the water and woke up with a lung full of water, maybe he did more than slide off that rock when he woke up coughing, maybe he really had been drawn to his voice, wanting to follow him. 

All of it had been too much to process this morning and he opted to let the boys handle the morning rounds on their own. He tried to get Ian off his mind, food and a long, hot shower, even taking a nap which didn't work as well as he'd hoped. Ian was in his dreams as well as his reality. It left him tired and restless, it left him still looking at those drawings of Ian. 

"Fuck." Mickey groaned, eyes tired as he reached for his phone and dialed Mandy. He sat back, drawings still in his hand when she answered.

"Hey Mick, how's it going?" Mandy asked happily.

"Goin good, probably won't need to stay for the whole month. Our freezers are pretty full already."

"Good, maybe they'll offer you a bonus like last time you got your catch before the deadline."

Mickey nodded, eyes moving to the drawings. "So, Noah showed up. Thanks for mentioning the tracker you put on his boat."

"You're welcome," Mandy laughed. "After he tried to bribe me with sex to get info on you, I kinda had no choice."

God, Noah was as stupid as he thought if he thought Mandy would turn on him for the promise of sex. "One of his many talents. Christ, he's an idiot, I swear to God. I don't know why he was even granted a damn licence."

"Has he given you any trouble yet?"

Aside from threatening Ian, not to mention hurting him, no he hadn't. "Not so far. But he did offer me a job with him, only he's not catching Tuna anymore."

Mandy growled. "Are you fucking kidding me? He's hunting mermaids now?"

"Yeah, he is. Makes me believe that the one he caught before was alive when he found it." 

Mermaids found alive were easily worth twenty times then found dead. But both had a hefty pay off and most fisherman didn't think their capture methods through before attempting it. 

"That piece of shit." Mandy huffed. "I knew he was hiding something when I asked him that day. But why would he think you would ever take a job like that?"

Mickey sat up, letting his legs dangle off the top bunk, back against the side of the boat as he lit a smoke. "Because he knows about your mermaid, Mandy."

Mandy gasped. "Oh no, you didn't tell him did you Mick?"

He would normally snap at her for asking stupid questions like that but two weeks ago he wasn't even sure he believed her. Unlike now when he has first had knowledge that her mermaid; HIS mermaid; Ian, was real. But Mandy was worried, she had been the entire time and he couldn't get mad at her for it.

"No Mandy, I didn't say anything to Noah or to anyone." She let out a deep breath of relief, making him smile. "Now, I'm going to tell you something knowing you're gonna do me the same favor of not saying anything."

"If it has to do with that mermaid, you know I won't say anything." Mandy promised. 

Maybe this was a mistake, maybe it was just what he needed. Mickey had no idea. But he promised Mandy he would keep a look out and now she had a right to know what was happening. 

"He's here, Mandy, the mermaid." Mickey caught himself before he said Ian. "I think he followed my boat from Miami."

Mandy gasped. "You saw him?"

Mickey smiled. "Yeah, I've seen him a lot." That feeling came back suddenly, making him want to get back into the water. "But there's more."

"More like what?" Mandy asked, a little worried. 

"He saved me, for one. I was drunk and fell off the side and he helped me get back onto the boat." Mickey smiled, remembering being a smartass asking for help and it turned out that Ian really did help him. "I got him to come back somehow, making sure I wouldn't hurt him."

"Holy shit, Mick." Mandy gasped, then giggled. "That's incredible! Did you see how beautiful he is?"

Mickey smiled this time. "Yeah Mandy, I saw."

"Tell me more, tell me all of it!!" 

There was so much to tell and it had adrenaline pumping through his body. Having someone else know, someone else believe him. Someone he trusted. Know about Ian was a hefty burden for one person, now Mandy would be able to help him. To talk and come up with ideas and get information.

"I talked to him," she gasped. "He didn't talk back, so I kinda talked at him. He seemed to understand but didn't want to talk to me."

"Humans probably scare him." Mandy said sadly.

"Yeah, they do. But I told him my name and thanked him for saving me. Then he left and I thought I scared him away but he spelled his name out with a bunch of shells." Mickey smiled, one of those shells was currently in his hand. 

"Oh wow, that's amazing!! So, what's his name?"

"His name is Ian." Mickey sighed, feeling a little smitten, even just saying the guys name. "Which is odd because I thought it would be something really complicated and hard to spell." He chuckled.

Mandy laughed too. "Ian; such an adorable name. Hold on, let me Google it."

Mickey flipped the shell in his hand while he waited. He could hear her talking to herself, mumbling. "So, whatcha got?"

"Ian is an Irish name, but there is no telling how old he is or where he came from." Mandy quickly read through the information. "It says Ian means God is gracious."

Mickey didn't put too much stock into names and their meanings, or about God in general, but maybe He was gracious if he was lucky enough to meet Ian in his lifetime. Like Ian said, their new relationship was something that had never been done before because it was always capture first, question later and he knew how that ended up. 

"Did he actually talk to you?" Mandy asked, forgetting about the name as quickly as she thought of it. 

"Yeah, he did. His voice is amazing, like a bunch of birds singing or that amazing church music." He snorted, feeling sappy for even thinking shit like that. "It's hard to explain unless you hear it."

"Yeah, it sounds a little strange. But I'd be excited to hear it too. Did you ask if he was still hurt?"

Knowing that Ian was still hurt made him a little queasy. "Yeah, he showed me. It looks bad Mandy, like someone; probably Noah, tried to stab him with something and a piece broke off."

"What a bastard!" Mandy wanted to scream. "I hope he is okay, it can't be easy or safe being hurt like that."

"It slows him down, wears him out." Mickey explained, remembering when Ian seemed a little weaker because of it. "Which freaks me the fuck out because Noah has been hovering around us since yesterday. I'm starting to think he put a tracker on my boat."

"The boys checked for that shit before you left Miami and I'm sure one out of four of you would have noticed Noah's guys lurking around to place one there."

That was true. One of them was always awake, no matter what. "How the hell did he find us then? I mean we run the same course but it's fucking creepy."

"Maybe have them do another sweep, just to be sure but I don't think it's that. Maybe they have eyes in the sky this time since he's no longer working for the company that hired him." 

That was a solid idea. Noah did look like his boat had some massive upgrades since last season. And if he was working for someone who wanted a mermaid, they had to splurge to make sure he was successful catching one alive. Eyes in the sky would have an amazing vantage point, it would also give Noah everyone's location if he was close enough. And if the equipment was top of the notch shit, they might even be able to spot Ian. 

"Shit, I really hope not, Mandy." Mickey rubbed nervously over his face. "I don't care if he follows me the rest of his boring ass life but what if he spots Ian from above?"

Mandy gasped. "Shit, I didn't even think about that. Have you warned Ian to be careful, to stay away?"

"Of course, but Ian already knows because that mermaid Noah caught was his friend. They were together when she got caught and that's how Ian got hurt."

This was getting him worked up, thinking about Noah hurting Ian in any way. It made him want to drive his boat over and shoot Noah between his eyes. And it would help Ian if Noah wasn't around, but then Mickey wouldn't be around either and that wouldn't help anyone. 

"God, no wonder he freaked out when I saw him. I hate Noah so fucking much, more now then I did before."

Mickey chose to keep the other shit to himself, the exchange of gifts because it was private, only between them. She didn't need to know. But he also kept Ian's age out of it as well, again, knowing how old he was wouldn't change anything. And there was no way he would tell her about that moment he and Ian had, about him nearly going into the water after him. Mickey didn't fully understand his feelings and didn't need outside opinions to tell him.

"Try not to worry so much," Mickey needed to calm her down or she would hire a boat to take her to his and they would have another problem to deal with. "I won't let anything happen to Ian. I promise."

"I know, but Noah is a cunning bastard and we don't know what kind of people he has in his corner now. Just watch your ass."

"I will, but maybe you can dig around a little about who might have hired him? People in Miami talk and Noah had to tell someone what he was up to."

"Yeah, I can ask around and see what I can dig up. Maybe find the company he works for."

Mickey nodded, stuffing the pages back under his pillow and put the shell back in his pocket. "Thanks, just gimme a call if you find anything. I didn't even tell the boys so if they answer don't say anything."

"Yeah, yeah. They can't keep their mouths closed about anything. I know. Just be careful, Mick, and make sure Ian is too. Love you."

Mickey smiled because Mandy gets it. "Love you, too."

The call had him feeling ten times better than half an hour ago, more optimistic about Ian but more worried about Noah. Mickey took the stairs back up, seeing Iggy checking the nets like he asked. Knox was steering the boat into a different location and Mickey really hoped Ian followed. And Quinn was making sure the hatches to the freezers below were locked. 

"Storm comin?" Mickey asked, snatching the binoculars from around the wheel.

Knox nodded. "Mandy said it wouldn't be as bad as the ones before. Just makin sure we have shit ready if it does get bad."

Mickey nodded, looking into the binoculars to see that Noah was following behind them slowly. It was better to keep him in his sights then it was to guess on where he might be. Mickey wasn't too keen on surprises.

"What's below lookin like, Quinn?" Mickey motioned to the freezer doors. "Still ahead of schedule?"

"Damn right we are. The fish are practically swimming into the nets. Knox is heading towards Bermuda for half the drop off."

Ahead was good, it took most of the pressure off and it also meant they had a good chance of making more money off of it. Bermuda was in high demand and they loved buying from him. 

"You boy's find any trackers when you have her a once over before we left?" Mickey gave each of them the same look.

"Not a single one, in or around the boat, Mickey." Iggy took the binoculars and glanced at Noah. "Think he bugged us? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know which route we take."

"No, it doesn't. But he didn't just stumble up on us. He knew we were here which is why I asked." Mickey watched the water as he spoke. Seeing how it was changing from the upcoming storm. Getting darker, more dangerous looking. The waves were rough, beating heavily against the side of the boat. 

"When the storm passes, I can search again." Iggy offered. "It'll take about another hour or so to get here though." 

Mickey glanced up at the sun, watching dark clouds consume every single ray until it was nothing but gray. "Yeah, maybe a little over an hour. You guys wanna check below, Knox and I can check out here?"

Iggy and Quinn nodded, moving quickly down the steps to begin their search. He and Knox took different sides of the boat, searching every nook and cranny for anything that might resemble a tracking device. He checked under piles of rope and between cages and in every single cupboard. 

By the time he felt a splash behind him, half of the boat had been checked. Mickey glanced down, seeing Ian's golden tail just under the surface. He glanced behind him, Knox was busy checking his side and watching the wheel, totally occupied. 

"Ian?" Mickey whispered loudly over the waves for Ian to hear him just under the surface. Ian slowly emerged from the harsh waves, seemingly not bothered by them in the slightest. "You okay?"

Ian nodded, glancing around. "Just wanted to make sure you were since the storm is coming."

His heart would pop out of his chest if possible. Ian was worried about him, it was too sweet and thoughtful. Even with Noah hunting him and being hurt, he was still worried about him. 

"Not to worry, we are used to the storms out here." He smiled, making Ian smile back. "What about you since your tail is hurt?" He was able to see the raw patch of scales even from on the boat. "You need to get to land or go deeper to get away from the waves?"

"The storm will reach us before I have time to get to land." Ian shook his head, a little worried. "I would have gone sooner but it came faster than I anticipated."

Mickey could agree with that. He had been below for less than an hour and it changed drastically within that time. But now what? Land was too far, he could go below the storm but if he got caught, he wouldn't be able to swim away. This entire thing was giving him anxiety. 

"We are headed closer to Bermuda," Mickey leaned down so he didn't have to whisper. "You wanna hang on and come with us? It'll be easier than trying to swim for it."

Ian seemed to consider it. Green eyes looking back and forth, weighing his options. And Mickey didn't know how relieved he was until Ian nodded, looking a little shy as he did so. 

"Good, that makes me worry less." Mickey laughed, feeling like Ian was his high school crush talking to him. "Anything you need to grab before we pick up speed?"

"Yeah, I have a few things below I want to bring. It won't take but a second."

Mickey nodded. "I'll wait here for you, just be careful." 

God, he wanted to reach out and touch him so fucking bad it made his hands shake to resist. He wouldn't even have to lean over. The water was higher, the waves bringing Ian just along side the boat, within arms reach. He had a feeling Ian wanted the same by that look in his eyes. 

"I will." Ian said softly just before sinking beneath the rough water. 

Mickey held his breath, seeing Ian go lower and lower until he couldn't see his tail shining anymore. While Ian was under, he kept a look out in all directions. Knox was back at the wheel, keeping the boat steady, Noah's boat was far enough away for him to feel okay about Ian being this close. And the sky was too dark for anyone who might have been watching to see anything. 

It was all clear, so far and it allowed Mickey to focus on Ian. He stared down at the water, looking for any signs of him. But there was nothing below but dark blue water. No brilliant yellowish orange, or red hair. Nothing but water. Whatever Ian needed to get, he should have been up by now. 

"Come on, Ian," Mickey whispered to himself, eyes frantically moving over the water for any signs of him. "It's taking too long." He glanced back, feeling that racing anxiety creeping back up. "It's taking too fucking long."

Something had to be wrong. He could feel it. Whatever connection had been created between them let him know that something was wrong. He couldn't even fight it or try and talk himself out of it, the feeling was too strong. 

Mickey made the decision before he even thought about it. He made sure Knox was occupied, grabbed a knife from one of the cupboards against the side of the boat and sat down, letting the water wet his pants, already fighting the idea that this was not at all smart.

Without making a sound, Mickey slipped into the water, treading as fast as he could to keep up with the harsh waves slapping against him. He took a minute to settle his mind, to clear away the fear of drowning or that something below might grab him, took a deep breath and dove under the water. 

The waves were unforgiving as he swam down against them. Propelling him up each time he dove deeper and he had to fight for each inch of water. Mickey looked around, blinking passed the sting of salt water and tried to look for Ian. Just as the air was starting to leave his lungs, he caught a flash of yellow deep down in the water. 

Ian.

From what he could see, Ian was tangled in the net that scraped the bottom of the ocean. He could see Ian struggling against the waves, batting and pulling at the net trying to get free. Then Ian was waving his arms up, spotting him only a dozen feet above, trying to signal him.

Mickey needed air, he was running out of time and his chest began to ache. He held up a finger to Ian, telling him to hold on while he kicked his way to the surface. It seemed to take hours before he breached the surface and took in multiple lungfuls of air, trying to ease that ache. 

Ian was stuck, Ian was trapped. Ian was afraid and panicking, much like he was. This was bad, this was so fucking bad. Mickey took a deeper breath, trapping as much air into his lungs as possible and dove back under, fighting like it was his life hanging in the balance. 

When he reached the top of the net, Mickey held it tight and used to to climb down, anchoring himself as not to use so much energy. Ian was still fighting, trying to swim away from the net, reaching out for help. 

Mickey finally reached the bottom, seeing that half of Ian's tail was tangled. The net had ripped down one side, leaving too much slack and it latched on to him. Mickey flinched when Ian grabbed him, holding him down so he didn't float back up and he could see how scared he was. 

Even with the rush for time and air. Mickey took the time and gripped both sides of Ian's face, forcing scared green eyes to look into his. He couldn't speak, just using his eyes to communicate. Mickey pushed their heads together, calming them both as the waves battered against them. Ian's hands gripped his arms tightly, holding on just as tight as he held Ian. 

At that prickle in his chest, Mickey pulled away and dug into his boot for the knife. Ian flinched, trying to swim away when Mickey gripped the back of his neck and forced their eyes together. He was telling him it was okay, to trust him. That he wasn't going to hurt him. Ian seemed to believe him because he nodded, eyes wide and fearful. 

Mickey held the net as he swam lower, knife in hand and cut sections of it at a time. Making a hole big enough for Ian to wiggle his tail free. Ian was out, gripping both sides of his soaking wet shirt and swimming up to the surface as fast as possible. His ears popped, the remaining air in his lungs was gone, until they breached the surface and he took deep panicked breaths. 

"Are you crazy!!" Ian nearly scramed, holding onto him by his shirt so he didn't sink from the force of the waves. "You could have died."

Mickey held onto him, one arm around his waist, the other around his shoulders to grip the back of Ian's neck. It put their faces very close together, allowing Mickey to count the gems around Ian's eyes.

"I knew something was wrong. You were taking too long." Mickey's voice was raspy, burning. "You needed help."

Ian shook his head, so angry he was near tears. "You will not survive in the water right now Mickey. A storm is coming and you could have died."

Mickey nodded, lightly squeezing his neck. "You could have died, too!" He huffed back, trying not to get so worked up. "The net would have drug you for miles, against rocks and whatever the hell else is down there. You needed help so I came after you."

Ian laughed as they he put their heads together and let the waves move around them. "Are all humans as stupid as you are?"

Mickey laughed, now stroking the side of Ian's jaw with his thumb. "No, just me." 

This was surreal. Being this close to him, holding him. Even feeling his tail lightly swishing below. Mickey was looking right into his eyes, swearing on everything he had that he could see galaxies in his eyes. Ian was safe, he was safe. They were together and safe. 

"Thank you," Ian wrapped both arms around Mickey's body, lightly gripping him. "You didn't have to, but you saved me."

Mickey nodded, looking from pink lips to green eyes and back again. "I owed you one."

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, never once looking away from each other's eyes. They didn't care about the storm or the possibility of getting caught, just each other in that moment. 

"Mickey!!!"

They were ripped from their own world at the harsh should of Knox's voice. Mickey started to swim even with Ian in his arms and together they made it to the back side of the boat, far from view of the deck. Mickey reached up to grip the rope tied to the boat and pulled them against the side, out of view.

"Please don't tell me you lost your captain…"

Mickey cursed at Noah's voice, hearing it and the sound of his laughing crew even over the waves. He glanced at Ian, only inches away from his face and noticed that he was shaking, his entire body trembling. 

"Nope, he's below. Safe and sound." Knox answered.

Mickey felt Ian's grip tighten around his back, keeping him close. It allowed him to use his other hand and lightly cover Ian's mouth, making sure he didn't talk right now. Watery green eyes stared at him, afraid. Afraid of Noah. 

"As long as we are quiet, he won't hear us, okay?" Mickey whispered, keeping his hand in place even as Ian nodded. "I won't let him hurt you."

Ian nodded again, a whimper escaping his lips only to be caught by Mickey's hand. 

"You sure, Knox? I could have sworn he jumped into the water." Noah spoke again. 

Mickey clenched his teeth, knowing damn well that his crew would cover for him and trust that even if he did jump in, that he could handle himself. Noah must have seen him jump in, then instantly drove over to his boat. That bastard.

"Mickey knows better, Noah. Now fuck off away from his boat and leave us alone."

Mickey laughed and it made Ian cock his head to the side, confused as to why he would be laughing at a time and place like this. "They're gonna make him leave."

Ian sagged against him, worn out and relieved by that news. Mickey moved his hand back under the water, around Ian's waist and held most of his weight, giving his tail a break. Ian even laid his head against his shoulder, nearly hugging him. 

On his back, Mickey could feel more gems running the length of his spine. One gem for each vertebrae until his skin morphed into a scaled tale. And he wanted to touch it, so fucking bad, but forced his hand to rest in the center of his back instead. 

"When you haul him from the water, ask him what he's been hiding from you."

Ian flinched. "Shhh," Mickey whispered in his ear, trying to keep him calm. "I've got you, Ian. You're safe. I promise."

"I'm scared." Ian whimpered, both hands looped around Mickey's back to grip his shoulders. "He'll find me."

Mickey shook his head. "Not if I have anything to do with it he won't. I won't tell him, they won't tell him. I'm going to find out how he's tracking us and we won't have to see him again."

"I wish they were like you." Ian buried his face in Mickey's neck. "I wish they were all like you."

That must have been the biggest compliment in the history of compliments. Ian, who had been hunted and hurt by humans, was now wishing they were like Mickey was. Trusting and helpful, kind. Mickey didn’t even know how to respond to that. The only thing he could do was live up to his promise. 

The sound of Noah's boat leaving, had Ian flinching again, holding him tighter. Mickey smoothed his hand up and down Ian's back, telling him that it was okay, that he was leaving. When it was quiet again, Ian moved out of his neck and Mickey was surprised he put their heads together again and one of Ian's webbed hands moved to the side of his face, slowly stroking over it. 

"I feel very lucky to have met you, Mickey," Ian whispered, silently crying but making no move to brush the tears away. "You have a heart of gold."

Mickey flushed at the comment and he didn't have the heart to tell Ian how wrong he was about that. Helping someone who was hurt or dying shouldn't be a choice. It should be an instinct to help them. To save them if they needed it, if you were able to. It was simple kindness that needn't be repaid. Now if only others believed what he did, the world might be a better place.

"Mickey, you son of a bitch, answer me!!"

Mickey could hear the panic in Knox's voice and knew he had to leave Ian. The water had numbed his entire body, his limbs were beginning to ache and lock up, it was time for him to get out of the water. But he didn't want Ian to be alone. Not even for a second. 

"I have to go back," Mickey explained quietly and Ian nodded. "Are you able to hold on like this?" He glanced up at the rope. 

Ian nodded. "As long as you don't go too fast."

"I really don't want to leave you." Mickey nearly whined, knowing Ian saw the distress it caused him. "But if I don't, they will come in after me."

Ian cupped his face again, closing his eyes for a moment like Mickey did. "You need to go before it gets too bad. I will be fine Mickey, that is my promise to you." 

"I can reach you here from up top." Mickey glanced up, making sure Ian looked up too. "As soon as I can, I will be right above you until this is over."

Ian was still afraid, even with Noah gone. He didn't want to be alone. Not now and not any other time after this. It was all in his eyes. Ian craved contact, of any kind. Now they craved each others company and kind words, soft touches. And he knew that it hurt Ian just as much to watch him leave as it did for him to actually go, without him. 

A rough wave slammed into them, pushing his shoulder against the boat hard enough to make him grunt as it popped. "Please don't let go, okay? Because I'll jump back in if you do."

Ian chuckled. "Stay on the boat where you are safe. I will stay here where I am safe and we will be together again after the storm."

Mickey felt his heart pound. "After." He repeated and helped Ian grab the rope. He held on, using it to pull himself around the boat so he was able to get back up. Seeing Ian slowly disappear around the side had his nerves shot, wanting nothing more than to stay with him. To ride out the storm. 

"Mickey!!!" Knox screamed as loud as he could.

Ian's beautiful smile was the last thing he saw, that and a single tear falling down his face. Mickey fought the urge to go back and gripped the side of the boat where he jumped in. 

"Knox!" He yelled, pulling his tired body out of the cold water.

"Mickey!" Knox slid across the slippery deck, put two feet against the side of the boat and pulled until Mickey was laying in between his legs. "You bastard, you scared me."

Mickey let Knox hold him tight, then Iggy and Quinn as they came over too. They thought he had been lost, just as he thought Ian had been lost. So, he laid there, dripping wet, shivering as they all held onto him, making themselves believe he was there. That he was okay. 

"It's fine, guys." Mickey gasped, feeling that panic rise up in his chest. "I'm fine."

That was the biggest lie he could tell at this moment. That he was fine. Yes, he was alive. But Ian was alone. He was hurt and alone, crying and alone and he fucking hated it. He hated everything about that feeling, the feeling like he abandoned him.


	6. Top Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mickey learns how Noah is following them

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 6- Top Secret

"Hold it steady, Knox!" Mickey yelled above the crashing waves. 

The storm was upon them and it was violent and unforgiving, just like the sea was supposed to be. The waves were huge, splashing across the deck, scattering everything over the side that wasn't bolted or tied down. 

Quinn and Iggy were below, trying to keep the fish on ice from spilling out, from spoiling until they made it safely to Bermuda. Knox was at the helm, steering the boat as best he could, going with the waves instead of against them. It was the only thing that would keep them from capsizing, but it lead them further away from Bermuda. After, they would have to backtrack. 

"Hold the fuck on, Mickey!" Knox yelled back, hoping he had a firm grip on something that was bolted to the deck. 

Mickey was holding the fuck on alright, he was holding onto Ian. He was stretched over the side, one hand locked onto a metal support beam on the side of the boat, the other hand firmly gripping Ian's. And Ian, he was barely holding on. He still gripped the rope, but the waves were crashing into him, making him hit hard against the side of the boat like a battering ram. 

The entire thing was brutal. 

"It's almost over!" Ian yelled, wiping blood from his lips. "I can feel it."

Mickey looked up and the darker clouds had eased up. The waves were still destructive, and they would be the last thing to settle, but Ian was right. The worst was over, for now. 

"You gotta hang on." Mickey squeezed Ian's hand hard. "You have to."

The blood dripping from Ian's mouth is what scared him the most. Not the waves or the boat crashing or even his own safety. Just Ian. That blood had to be caused from the violent waves hitting against Ian's injured body and more than once he tried to pull Ian onto the boat, only for Ian to fight him, to stay where he was and endure the pain.

"Try not to worry, Mickey." Ian rested his head against their linked hands, exhaling deeply as the waves slowed. "I've survived much worse than a storm in my life time."

Mickey leaned further over until his head touched the top of Ian's. "That doesn't make me feel any better, Ian. Not even a little bit."

"It's slowin down!" Knox yelled, getting them back on the right track. "The rest of the water just has to settle."

"Keep goin, man," Mickey called out. "I'm good."

The boat eventually evened out, rocking with the waves instead of against them. It allowed them all to take a deep breath, able to move around and check for damages. 

"Bring the anchor all the way up!" Mickey yelled towards Knox who started hoisting it out of the water. The anchor clanked noisily next to them, making them both jump a little, only to laugh. 

"I'm tired." Ian closed his eyes, losing his grip a little.

"Hey," Mickey shook his arm until Ian glanced up at him. "You can't fall into the water now. Not hurt and unconscious. You're losing blood and it's making you tired."

Ian nodded. "Very tired."

"Look at me." Mickey let his other hand cup the side of Ian's pale cheek. "I want you to sit on the anchor, okay?" He motioned to it hanging just above the water. "It'll allow you to rest until you're okay enough to swim."

Ian gave a shaky nod and with Mickey's help, he managed to sit on the curved part of the anchor, mindful of the sharp points and let his trail rest against the thick chain, his back pressed into the boat. 

"Better?" Mickey asked, still holding his hand.

Ian nodded, head back with his eyes closed. "Much better. Thank you." 

Mickey didn't expect the kiss Ian placed to the back of his hand. It was so soft that maybe he imagined it. Either way, it had his entire body thrumming with energy, buzzing to get closer, to move closer to him. This time without Ian telling him to fight it, he didn't. Mickey allowed himself to lean all the way over until his other hand was against Ian's chest, almost hugging him.

"You're supposed to resist." Ian mumbled sleepily.

Mickey nodded, smiling when Ian's hand gripped his arm, keeping him from moving away. "I am resisting. If I didn't, I would be on the anchor with you."

Ian laughed, turning his face into Mickey's arm, unbothered by the scratchy shirt against his face. "Go check on your humans, Mickey. I will be here when you come back."

He did have to leave Ian again. The boat and his crew needed his attention, just like Ian did. "Just don't leave until I come back, okay? I bet Noah will find us any second and you're too battered to deal with him."

"How is he finding us?" Ian asked, looking up with tired eyes. 

Mickey shook his head. "There has to be a tracker on this boat that's telling him where we are. I'm gonna find it and get rid of it, and him."

"That would be most wonderful Mickey." Ian kissed his hand once more before he released it. "He is very ugly."

Mickey snorted. "Ugly huh?"

"Ugly inside." Ian spoke clearly. "Outside he looks friendly but inside he is as dark as the Black Sea."

There was no doubt about that. Noah was one attractive mother fucker and when Mickey first met him, he was all smiles and charm. But it didn't take long for him to see passed that charm, to see the beast underneath that smile. It was vile and unrelenting. 

"You just try and rest and let me worry about him, okay?" When Ian nodded, Mickey had to force himself away, trusting that Ian was strong enough like he said he was. Otherwise he would be right back over there, holding his hand. 

"Any problems?" Mickey asked Knox as he glanced down at the map.

"No holes so we are good. Lost a few minor things though but no people or fish, so I count it as a win."

Mickey smiled back at him. "How far off course did we get?"

"A few miles but we can make it up easily. This is why being ahead of schedule is a good thing."

"Good," he patted him on the back, squeezing just enough. "Gonna go below and check on the boys."

Before he took the stairs down, Mickey glanced out at the ocean, happy that Noah's boat wasn't in sight, yet. It allowed him to go below without worrying so much over Ian for a moment.

"You boys alive?" Mickey shouted, stepping over broken cups and plates from the kitchen, then blankets from their beds until he could reach the back. "Good?"

Iggy nodded but thumbed towards Quinn. "Busted his eyebrow open on the freezer. Those waves were rough."

Mickey cursed as he moved forward, gripping Quinn's chin and look at the thin streak of blood running down his face. "Well you didn't break it, so that's a plus. But you may need a few stitches."

Quinn snorted, batting his hand away. "Thanks mom, I knew that. Gonna take care of it in a second."

Mickey nodded, holding his fist out for them both to bump it. "Good. We got off track a few miles but Knox is gettin us back. We need full inventory when we get to Bermuda."

"You good?" Iggy asked, noticing how Mickey favored one side. 

Mickey nodded, lying. "Yeah, might have cracked a rib moving around on deck though." He held his side but didn't wince at the pain. "I'll wrap it as soon as I know we are good."

"Do it asap before we tell Knox." Iggy warned, giving him a pointed look.

"Just take care of your shit," he pointed to Quinn. "And his shit and leave Knox out of this. Oh, did you guys find any trackers down here before the storm hit?"

They both shook their heads. 

"Yeah, we didn't find any up top either." Mickey rubbed his eyes tiredly. "It might be under the boat. Gonna have to check when it calms down."

Iggy gave him a pointed look this time. "You look like shit, Mick. One of us will do it."

Normally Mickey wouldn't argue with them about grunt work like that. They would do it and he would let them. But everything was different now. Ian was in the water, staying close to his boat and if they went under, they might see him. It was risky. 

But given that Noah all but told them he was keeping something from him still had yet to be discussed. The storm had occupied their time but now that it was over, eventually it would come up. Either he could lie to their faces, his best friends and family, to keep Ian safe. Or, he could risk it all, including Ian and tell them. Maybe they would help, or maybe the money Noah offered was too great.

Both of those were less than desirable. 

"We can talk about that later." Mickey chose to say instead of no because they would delay him from getting back to Ian. "I'm going back up."

"See you up there in a bit."

Mickey nodded, already halfway out the door when he saw the drawings of Ian on the floor. The blankets had been tossed and they were just laying there. Mickey scooped them up and stuffed them back under his pillow, hoping they didn't see them.

Taking the stairs hurt a little more going up then it did coming down. The adrenaline was wearing thin, making him feel just what leaning over the side of the boat did to his ribs. Either he cracked one, or bruised multiple and both options hurt like a bitch. 

"Shit shit shit." He cursed to himself all the way up, pausing to lean against the railing before attempting the slippery deck. 

"Boys okay?" Knox asked, distracted.

"Yup, Quinn split his eyebrow but Iggy is gonna clean him up." Mickey took shallow breaths before he finished. "They also found no trace of any trackers down there."

Knox hung his head. "None up here either."

They both knew that meant it would likely be underneath and that meant getting in the water. 

"Later." They spoke at the same time, smiling. 

Mickey left Knox to steer in peace, knowing that he hated when someone looked over his shoulder. It freed him up to head back to Ian, but before he could, the annoying sound of Noah's boat could be heard in the distance. Now he dared not go to Ian, not yet. It was way too risky. He had to force himself to the other side of the boat where Noah was waiting.

"Well, there he is. Thought the sea finally swallowed you down for good." Noah smirked.

Mickey smirked too, he got off on not letting Noah get to him. He loved to see that smile slip. "I'm as careful as I need to be, Wilcox. Was hoping you'd fuck off to places unknown. Maybe try actually working for a change."

"Oh, I'm working just fine here, Mickey. And my target seems to like your boat."

Mickey nearly flinched but refused to allow his body to respond. He kept his smirk, which made Noah lose his. "Should I know what you're talking about?" He asked, feeling Knox creep up beside him. "The only friend I have is a fleshjack light downstairs with my name on it."

Knox snorted, putting a hand over his mouth. 

Noah just sighed and shook his head. "If you wanna play this game, Mick, then fine. You keep your boys in the dark, I'll keep trailing it and when your guard is down, it's mine."

A growl got trapped in his throat and saw when Noah realized it. "I tell my boys what they need to know and when they need to know it. But I can handle my shit alone, just watch me."

When Noah smiled and lifted his foot, intent on climbing onto his boat, Mickey reached around to the small of his back, pretending his gun was there and Noah stopped, foot hovering in the air and a surprised look on his face. 

"You can't be serious. After all we've been through together?" Noah chuckled, stepping back. 

Mickey smiled. "I would hate to be called a liar, because I told my boys if you stepped on this boat, I would shoot you." Noah took another step back. "And it's not that I wouldn't do it just to make you bleed, because I totally would. But, I can't go back on my word."

From the corner of his eye, Mickey could see that Knox had the actual gun behind his own back, that's why he stepped up before, as back up. Of course Noah would fear or respect anyone with a gun, but he got more of it when Noah assumed he had it and Knox knew that and played along. 

"And as for your new profession," Mickey shook his head in disgust. "Aside from the money, I really hope you don't think people will respect you after that."

"People already respect me." Noah defended. 

"No, they really don't." Mickey shook his head. "You have no respect for others or boundaries for work, you fuck people over, and not in a good way. Then you drop the company you've been with for years, just because some guy in a monkey suit wants what he can't have?" 

Noah didn't respond because he knew he was right. Whatever respect people had for Noah vanished the moment he brought that dead mermaid to Miami. It was disgusting, inhumane. It was fucking wrong. 

"Now you're tailin me, trying to sabotage my crew, turn em against me?" Mickey shook his head, doing his best not to look at where Ian was. "You need to wake the fuck up. They won't help you, the money isn't worth it anyway. I would never help you capture one. So, get the fuck away from my boat and be happy I don't bust a hole in yours and watch you sink."

Noah snapped his fingers and the boat began to move. "As always, Mickey, this ain't over. I know he's hurt and you know why. Eventually I'm going to wear him out and he'll be mine."

Mickey rushed to the side where Noah had been. "If you hurt him again Noah, I will fucking kill you." Mickey warned and meant it. "Think I'm playin? Try me and see where you end up."

When all Noah did was wave, Mickey flipped him off and turned to see Knox staring at him. He wasn't angry, confused and a little hurt maybe, but not mad. Even still, he could lie about it all, even about the shit he said but if Noah was going to up his game, he might need help protecting Ian. 

"Mick…" 

Mickey interrupted him and put his hand up. "I'll tell you all of it, the boys too. But I need a minute alone first."

He needed to get to Ian. To check on him and make sure Noah didn't swipe him from right under his nose. That bastard would pull a bitch move like that. He needed to make sure Ian was okay and tell him he was going to tell his crew, out of basic respect. 

"Don't take too long." Knox turned off the boat, letting it coast with the waves and went below. 

Mickey rushed to the back of the boat, just to see that Ian was no longer sitting on the anchor and there was a trail of blood leaking down the side of the boat and right into the water.

"Shit shit shit." Mickey pulled at his hair. Was he supposed to go back into the water and look for him? Did Noah's goons snatch him while they were talking? "Ian, please."

Mickey paced a little, trying to decide what to do when he heard the water splash. He ran to the side of the boat and Ian was just under the water. He let out a deep breath, feeling his heart nearly pounding from his chest as he sat down. 

"You're okay." Mickey let his hand drop into the unsettling water and smiled when Ian moved and linked it with his own, letting his head breach the water. "You scared me."

"Sorry, Mickey." Ian apologized, swimming closer. "I heard his boat and felt okay enough to jump back in."

"Is it any better?" Mickey asked. 

Ian shook his head sadly.

"I think it's how he's been following you." Mickey saw the surprise on Ian's face. "For awhile I thought he was tracking me, maybe put one on my boat. But we have been looking and can't find one."

Ian looked down at his tail. "Is that what the blinking light is?"

Mickey nodded. "I don't know why I didn't put the pieces together before. But he said he was tracking you, not me. But you've been following me so it made me think he was after me."

"I'm sorry." Ian squeezed his hand. "I did not mean to cause you any trouble."

"He was already trouble to me before I knew about you." He squeezed Ian's hand back, smiling. "But, unless you can get it out, I'm afraid he won't stop."

"I've tried." Ian cried, his voice a little too high. "I've done all I can to get it out but it hurts too much."

Fuckin Noah. That bastard. Trackers were supposed to be painless if done correctly. Like for sharks or whales. But if Noah just poked him with it in any place he could, it had to have made it extremely painful. He was such a mean bastard. 

"I know you don't like humans, and for good reason," Mickey began softly, trying not to take offense because really, it wasn't Ian's fault. "But if you let me, I can get it out for you." Ian tightened his hand. "It will let you heal faster, you'll be stronger because of it and he won't be able to find you."

"I do trust you, Mickey," Ian let his head rest against their hands. "But the thought of anything touching it makes me feel sick."

There was really no way to just take it out without a little pain. But it had been festering for a long time, combined with Ian's attempts to get it out, it was tender already. Add in the salt water that was brutal on the smallest cuts and the fact that Ian still had to use his tail...it was awful. 

"What if I made it so you didn't feel any pain?" Mickey asked, offering the only solution available to him on the water. "Would you let me help you?"

Ian blinked away tears as their eyes met again. "Why wouldn't I feel it?"

"I have medicine that will numb it, take away the pain for a short while." Mickey offered a smile, trying to keep it calm. "It works fast and taking the tracker out will be fast too."

"I won't come up there." Ian shook his head. "Please don't make me."

Mickey shook his head this time, leaning over despite the pain on his side to brush a piece of Ian's hair back. "I would never ask you or make you do that. I would come to you."

Ian caught Mickey's hand and put it to his face, soaking in the warmth of his skin. "Thank you."

Mickey smiled, stroking the side of Ian's face with his thumb. "I also wanted to tell you that Noah told my crew about you." Ian gave him a panicked look. "They won't hurt you, not any of them. And they hate Noah almost as much as you."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because, I am going to talk to them about it in a second. I never wanted to lie to them but if Noah doesn't back down, I'll need their help."

"They won't try and capture me?" He squeezed Mickey's hands, shaking in the water. 

"No, but I'm sure they would like to help you, like I've been doing." Mickey really hoped this was working. "They are my family, Ian. I trust them. And I know you can't, but I'm asking you to trust me."

Ian nodded. "I do trust you. And if you need to tell them, I trust that too."

God, Mickey wanted to kiss him for that reason alone. Trust was a big thing with Ian. If it wasn't there, then they had nothing. And even when Ian didn't trust anyone else, he still trusted his judgement.

"You want to kiss me?" Ian asked, eyes wide.

Mickey's eyes were wide too. Had he said that out loud? He chuckled nervously, trying to figure a way out of this one. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"But you did."

Mickey nodded. "I was so happy for you trusting me that I said it, kinda like 'God, I could just hug you', ya know?"

Ian shook his head. "So, you don't want to kiss me but you want to hug me?"

Mickey laughed this time because the communication barriers between them were still new. "Well, I wouldn't say no to either if it were offered, but I am just really happy that you trust me. That was all I was trying to say."

"I'm happy that you're happy." Ian smiled. "And I would like to kiss you, too."

Now it was his turn to be surprised. His face must have showed it because Ian was chuckling again, giving that incredible sound. "You would?"

"And I am a lover of hugs as well, but it's been a while since I've had either."

Mickey licked his lips without realizing it. "Yeah, me too."

Ian let a wave carry him higher so he was closer to Mickey. "Would now be okay?"

"For which one?" Mickey asked, more than a little nervous. He had that feeling again, like before when they first touched. He wanted to be with Ian in the water. 

"You choose, or both perhaps?" 

A groan was halfway up his throat when Knox started talking. "Hurry up, Mick!!"

"So, not right now?" Ian asked, ready to sink back into the water when Mickey's hand moved to his cheek. "What?"

"I want both right now." He admitted, panting a little at the very thought of touching him beyond their hands. "But I do have to deal with them."

"I understand." Ian smiled. "I'll be close."

But Mickey couldn't let him just leave. Not without one or the other. "Maybe a hug now?" He offered hopefully. 

"A hug now." Ian repeated and unlinked their hands. 

Mickey moved to lay on his stomach again, his upper body and arms hovering over the water. It was either that or pull Ian onto the boat for it and that was a no go. So, he extended his arms and watched Ian's eyes glow brighter. 

"Whenever you want." Mickey added, just to make sure Ian knew he was in full control. 

"I want it now."

Ian's arms came up, wrapping around his neck, making their chests push together. Mickey let out a soft moan, wrapping his own arms around Ian's bare back, squeezing him to his body. 

It felt like pure energy pulsing into his body. It made him gasp, feeling each wave of light or power, or happiness, or whatever it was, wash into him. Mickey put his face in Ian's shoulder, nearly allowing himself to suck the water from his skin.

"You are very warm." Ian mumbled, his face turned into Mickey's neck. "You feel wonderful."

Ian had no filter. None. And Mickey was grateful he was able to say it because he couldn't find the words. 

"Mickey!!" Knox and Quinn yelled at the same time.

"I don't want to let go of you." Ian squeezed tighter, talking into his neck. 

"I don't want to let go either." Mickey responded and allowed a single kiss to Ian's shoulder and he could hear his sharp gasp as they both pulled back. "Just touching you makes me feel so much better."

Ian nodded, twirling the ends of Mickey's hair. "Go ahead before they come out here. I'll be here when you come back."

Mickey nodded and helped Ian back into the water until only their linked hands remained touching. "As soon as I'm done, we'll get that out."

"And kiss," Ian said a little too eagerly, tilting his head. "Right?"

Mickey smiled, heart racing in his chest. "That too." Ian smiled. "Be careful."

"Always, Mickey." Ian whispered and slipped below the water, out of sight.

Mickey moved quickly to the stairs and found all three of them waiting for him. "Okay, if you guys get mad for me not telling you, I accept that. But I had my reasons."

Iggy moved forward, handing Mickey the drawings. "Just tell us."

Mickey took them, knowing it was only a matter of time before they found them. 

So, he told them all of it. Mandy seeing Ian, him looking for two months for him. He told them how a mermaid saved him, how they communicated. Mickey told them about how they connected, just not the details of it all because that was for him and Ian. 

When they asked why he didn't say anything, he told them it was for Ian's protection. That he didn't want to burden anyone with that information. That it was safer. 

They were hurt he didn't tell them, but they made it a point to understand his reasons. They all assured him that they would never do what Noah does, that they didn't want to hurt Ian. But Ian made things complicated for them all now.

"And after what Noah said, I'm pretty sure what's in his tail is a tracker." Mickey explained after he recapped on everything. "He tried to get it out but said it hurts too much."

"If Ian has been following us since Miami, and Noah has been right up our asses, it has to be a tracker." Knox agreed. 

"Now, he's not trusting of humans and for a damn good reason, but he trusts me and told me I could get it out." Mickey explained as he came back from the bathroom with the first aid kit handy. 

"And he won't come up?" Iggy asked.

Mickey shook his head. "No, and I won't make him. So, I'm going in the water."

It didn't need to be said how risky the water was after a storm. More so because Noah was creeping in the background. But they didn't try to convince him to stay. 

"It shouldn't take long," Quinn spoke up, moving around the boat for the tools to get a tracker out. "We can keep a lookout."

Mickey took them and a bottle of water proof numbing medicine. "I know this is strange." Mickey stopped to get their attention. "And I know it's complicated. But thank you for helping me. For having my back."

Iggy stepped forward and tossed an arm around his neck. "We always got your back Mick, especially if we fuck over Noah at the same time."

Mickey smiled as they all laughed. "There is that. Okay, so let's get this over with and get Noah off our asses."

They all made it up to the deck and Knox tossed him a Scorkl; a handheld, underwater breathing device that allows you ten minutes under the water and Iggy tossed him a pair of goggles.

"If Noah knows you know about the tracker, then we need a plan." Iggy spoke up. "If he knows we found it, he will follow us just because Ian follows you."

Mickey cursed. "I hadn't thought of that. Any ideas?"

Iggy nodded, smirking. "We need to plant it on something else. A whale or a shark, something that will lead Noah on a little goose chase and give us time to figure out what to do."

Mickey laughed. "You're a damn genius, Igg, I swear." Iggy grinned back at him. "Okay Knox, since you know how to safely remove and attach the devices, suit up and as soon as I have it, you gotta find something to tag."

Knox nodded. "The storm brought a bunch of creatures to choose from so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, just wait until I tell you before you jump in." Mickey sat down, putting his feet in the water, just letting Ian know he was there. "He's more than skittish so, please wait."

They nodded, then backed up, just like he asked them to before. Ian was going to come up, he would explain what was going to happen and Ian didn't need three curious humans hovering.

"Ian?" Mickey called, seeing his tail below the water. 

Ian came up slowly, as he always did. "Everything okay?"

Mickey nodded, smiling. "I told them. They understand why I didn't say anything and they only want to help."

Ian swam closer until he could touch one of Mickey's legs. "I was nervous."

"Yeah, I know. But it's still just you and me, okay?" When Ian smiled again, Mickey showed him the tube of medicine. "This is going to make it so you don't feel anything. You just rub a little on and wait for it to kick in."

Ian nodded, still curious but weary. "It doesn't hurt?"

Mickey shook his head and put a little on the tip of his finger and smoothed it in for Ian to see. "You won't even know it's there until your body realizes you're not in pain." 

Ian's hand moved up, touching the clear jelly substance and smoothed it over his fingers like Mickey did. "It doesn't feel like anything." He smiled. 

It made Mickey laugh. "Now, I have a tool to get the tracker out. It looks a little scary, but it's not sharp or anything. It won't hurt either."

Ian tensed, but nodded. 

Mickey grabbed the small tool and slowly showed it to Ian. "It has two little prongs here." He pointed to each end. "They make the barbs on the tracker disengage and it'll slip right off."

Ian reached out to touch it as well. Noticing that it didn't have any sharp edges. "It doesn't look so bad."

"No, it doesn't." He set both aside and pulled the goggles on top of his head. "I'm gonna get in with you, and to put that stuff on, I need the area out of the water just so it can sink in."

"Okay." Ian backed up, making room. "Then what?"

"Then, I take the tracker out. It'll make a beeping sound but it's not dangerous and it'll release from your tail."

"I'm a little nervous." Ian admitted softly.

Mickey held out his hand, feeling that flutter in his body coming back when Ian took it. "I know, but I'm gonna be there and I promise it's safe."

When Ian only nodded, Mickey kept ahold of his hand and slipped into the water, kicking his legs to stay up. Ian moved to him so fast he nearly went under. The hug was tight, Mickey grabbed the side of the boat to keep them up as Ian's arms circled his neck again. His other arm went around Ian, slowly rubbing across his skin.

"It'll be okay." He whispered and Ian squeezed him again before he pulled back and they were suddenly face to face. "I know you can do it."

Ian stroked the side of his face as he let their heads rest together. "I'm ready."

Mickey allowed Ian to pull away and tried to keep his gasp inside as Ian's entire body stretched along the top of the water. He was so beautiful it hurt to look at him for very long at a time. 

"Okay, this stuff is quick, okay?" Mickey held up the tube and waited for Ian to nod before he put a massive amount of his fingers. "I'm just going to rub it around the area."

"Just go slow."

Mickey's hand shook as the tips of his fingers lightly touched Ian's tail, spreading the medicine around. He wanted to touch it for the longest time, to feel the scales against his skin, but this was nothing but raw skin, all the scales around it had fallen off. 

"It feels weird." Ian commented, looking down. "But it hurts a little less."

Mickey smiled, adding a little more until the area was fully covered. "Let me know when you don't feel any pain, okay? Then we go under and I can take it out."

Ian nodded, watching fondly as Mickey put something into his mouth, making him look a little strange but no less handsome. "You can breathe with that?"

"Only for a few minutes." Mickey pulled the goggles down over his eyes. "Not all of us have amazing mermaid powers."

Ian laughed again, relaxing more and more. "I'm just me, Mickey."

Mickey nodded, his smile slipping a little. "And you're amazing." 

Ian was surprised how fast Mickey's magic medicine worked. "I don't feel it anymore." He groaned happily, able to move his tail without any pain. "That's unbelievable."

"Now, let's fix it for good." He put the breather in his mouth, grabbed the tool off the deck and sank into the water. Ian followed him, staying exactly where he had been above, but below. 

Ian had a grip on one shoulder when he put the tool into Ian's wound, letting the prongs grip both of the little barbs on the tracking device. Mickey looked to Ian and nodded, letting him know that this was it. 

Ian hesitated, gripping Mickey's arm tighter and nodded. 

It took more time to let the medicine spread than it did to pull the tracker out. It popped free and Mickey snatched it before it sank and put the tool in his pocket. Blood seeped from the wound but the water carried it away quickly, leaving the wound looking rough, but it would be able to heal. 

Beside him, he could see Ian laughing under water, smiling as he was able to move. Mickey stayed under, watching Ian swim back and forth and up and down, all in circles. It was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen. 

And with a blink, Ian was slamming into his front, those long arms around his neck again. Mickey smiled around the mouth piece, wrapping both his arms around Ian and hugged him back. 

When Ian pulled back, Mickey allowed Ian to take his hand and press it against his chest, right over his heart. Mickey could feel it beating fast, strong and steady under his palm. His sped up the moment Ian's hand came up, resting against his chest in the same way. It took a moment, but Mickey realized their hearts were beating in sync. 

Mickey let it happen until he needed air. The machine beeped and Ian nodded, helping him swim up from being quite a ways down. They came out of the water together beside the boat and Mickey tossed all he brought up onto the deck. 

"Mickey."

Mickey turned back at Ian's voice and gasped the second webbed hands cupped both sides of his face. His hands moved under the water, settling at Ian's lower back as he got lost in the green of his eyes. 

Then Ian was kissing him. Mickey gasped at his soft, wet lips and his eyes slid closed, pulling Ian closer with a light grip. Just one kiss shouldn't feel so good but his entire body was quaking in pleasure, needy for more. In dire need of more from him. 

"Thank you." Ian whispered against his mouth as he pulled back.

Mickey gripped the back of Ian's neck, keeping him close. "For the help, or the kiss?"

Ian smiled, bumping their noses together. "For both. For everything."

His thumb traced Ian's bottom lip, silently asking for more. His only reply was a smile, barely the corner of his lips turning. But it was all he needed. Mickey brought him in for another kiss, gently letting his tongue run the length of Ian's lips until he opened. 

Mickey swallowed Ian's gasp as their tongues slowly moved together. Ian had pushed them against the boat, making his back flatten against it. He reached up to grab the rope to keep them steady against the waves, but kept his hold on Ian, letting him take as many of those kisses as he wanted.


	7. Bermuda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been three days since Mickey helped Ian and he is starting to worry ..

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 7- Bermuda

"Jesus, finally." Iggy whined.

Mickey smiled as all three of them jumped off the boat and onto the dock as quickly as possible. Being on the water for almost a month, they were happy for solid ground. Sand and real beds and people, not each other. 

"Soak it up while you can," Mickey steered the boat until he was in perfect unloading position, then shut it down. "We get two days, maybe three and we sail to Puerto Rico for the rest."

It had been nearly three days since the storm, since Mickey got that tracker out of Ian's tail. Knox was able to tag a tiger shark from a relatively safe distance and they all watched Noah chase after it. It was fucking epic. 

Ian had been scarce in those three days, probably trying to heal the damage. Mickey expected that, he really did. But he missed him, more than he thought he would. Especially after how close they were becoming. 

The intimacy of their friendship changed, if friendship was the correct word to describe what they had. Mickey cared about Ian, long before the hugs and kisses. But those only added to it, made it stronger. 

Then it was gone. 

All of it. The contact he grew so used to, the splashing and Ian's cute little head tilts. His presence. Mickey missed it all. And the only thing he could do to take his mind off it all, was to work. He worked long nights, driving towards Bermuda and slept during the day, but only after trying to signal Ian. 

Three days had been utter hell.

"Any word?" Iggy asked as Quinn and Knox moved around the dock, setting everything up. "It's been awhile."

Mickey nodded, taking his hat off his head and wiped the sweat off his face with the back of his arm. "No, not yet." He glanced around the water out of habit. "He might not come back."

"You don't believe that, do you?"

Did he? Mickey didn't want to believe that Ian only hung around in hopes of getting that tracker out and Noah off his ass. But it was logical, if you forget about them kissing and hugging like they were starved for it. They had helped Ian and then he was gone. 

"I don't know what to think, Iggy." Mickey let Iggy help him off the boat and onto solid ground. "Of course I don't want to think any of that shit, but it's possible."

Even as he said that, Mickey's hand went into his pockets to grab the shell in one hand and the pearl in the other, squeezing them. 

"I know you, Mick," Iggy spoke quietly, making sure no one else could hear them. "I've seen you like this before and it's the same with Ian. I know you don't think he's gone."

Maybe he was that transparent or maybe it was because Iggy was his brother, but he was right. 

"Mickey, they need you to sign off!" Knox yelled, motioning them over. 

Mickey nodded at him before turning back to Iggy. "No, I don't think he's gone, but I could be wrong. Of course I have no way of knowing one way or another."

When Iggy gave him that sad look, Mickey had to move away. He joined Knox as the fish were being unloaded and signed off on what he needed to before going back to his boat. He was almost afraid to leave it, because how else would Ian find him? 

The hotels they normally stayed at were cheap and cheap meant far from the water, far from Ian. If Ian came to his boat when he wasn't there and someone saw him...then what? 

"You comin?" Quinn asked as he pointed to the beach.

Mickey shook his head, making all three of them narrow their eyes. "I'm gonna do inventory to see what all we lost and what we need before we take off again."

"Mick--" Iggy rolled his eyes as Mickey turned and walked away. So he ran after him. "You can't just wait here."

"I can for one night." Mickey shot back, showing how afraid and agitated he was. "If I leave the boat and Ian comes back, what then? He can't just walk up and look for me."

"Fine, park her in the marina and take a night to see if he shows. But if he doesn't, you can't just sit here."

Mickey nodded. "Just one night. I'll meet you for breakfast."

When Iggy nodded, Mickey turned away again and this time no one stopped him as he started the boat and drove around the docks to the marina. The sun was already setting low on the water and nightfall would only be an hour or two away, then maybe Ian would show. Or maybe he wouldn't. 

In the meantime, Mickey tried to keep himself busy. He really did do inventory, knowing exactly what gear and supplies they needed for the last leg of their trip. He cleaned up, so clean the place looked new again and he drank. Not a lot, but enough to get his shoulders to relax and his jaw to unclench. 

With nothing else to do, Mickey took his bottle of tequila, the drawings from Mandy and went up to the deck. The sun was gone, the moon was up and the entire marina was dead. No lights on the boats around him. Everyone was on land, enjoying actually being on land. 

Mickey didn't give a shit about land or a bed that didn't rock with the waves. The boys just cared about getting some time off the boat, to drink and not work, to pick up some random for the night. Mickey didn't want any of that. 

He just wanted Ian.

With his music turned up, one bare foot dangling in the water, Mickey tried to relax. The alcohol helped, by this point he was pleasantly numb, making his body warm despite the chill on the water. 

"Where are you, Ian?" Mickey asked quietly, not even able to be heard over the music. 

When no reply came, Mickey closed his eyes, trying to imagine him. To remember what he looked like, his smile and how his hair was always wet and pushed back, leaving his face clear. Mickey remembered the way he felt around him; happy and special, like nothing mattered but the way Ian looked at him, or how their hands looked linked together.

The steady beat of Ian's heart under his palm or his own hands and how they smoothed down the gems on Ian's spine. Or his lips, soft and perfect. 

Mickey opened his eyes and turned to face the water, allowing the other leg to slip in beside the other one. He glanced down, only able to see the tops of his feet from how dark it was, but then if he tried not to focus as hard, he could see green. Green and blue.

"Ian?" Mickey leaned over as his voice shook and he leaned over a little too far because he slipped, plunging into the dark water. 

He swam up quickly, coughing all the water from his lungs and looked down, seeing Ian's tail just below his feet. Mickey smiled, gripping the side of the boat as Ian came up from the water. 

But something was different. As soon as the alcohol was cleared enough to focus, his eyes widened. Ian was fucking gorgeous… not beautiful like Mickey thought he was before, but gorgeous. His skin was glowing, a warm healthy color, his hair looked like someone colored it, making it brighter as well, his eyes sparkled like there were stars blinking in them. 

It was like someone turned up Ian's contrast, making everything a million times better, brighter and clearer than it had been. Mickey felt more drawn to him, so much so that he let go of the boat to swim the rest of the way to him. His arms and legs moved for him, his body on autopilot as he got closer. The only thing he was able to focus on was getting to Ian as fast as he could.

"Mickey, you need to fight it, remember?" Ian spoke clearly, loudly.

Even his voice was easily ten times better, sounding like an entire Orchestra was hidden in his chest, waiting for the perfect moment to create such a beautiful sound. Mickey groaned a little, letting the sound sink into his body, then he was actually sinking ...deep below the water, not hearing the sound from above anymore but from below. Dragging him deeper and deeper into the water. 

But then something happened and he was being yanked out, Ian was dragging him to the surface, pulling him up once again to cough up the water in his lungs. 

"Mickey!" Ian yelled, gripping his face.

Mickey blinked, focusing on his green eyes. "Why are you yelling?" He asked roughly, his throat burning.

"You told me you would resist Mickey, you promised." Ian shook him a little. 

"I was, wasn't I?" He asked as he looked around and they were about a mile from his boat. "What happened?" 

Ian let their heads rest together. "You weren't fighting it anymore. You gave in and could have drowned."

An echo of that sound popped onto his head for a split second, making him slowly close his eyes. "It sounded so wonderful." He gripped Ian's shoulders, hanging on, gripping him tight. "You don't know how amazing it was."

Ian slowly began to swim, getting them closer to Mickey's boat. "Do you remember what I told you? You must resist when you hear that, or even feel it."

"I thought I was." Mickey argued, feeling just as good as he had been then, only now as well. "I was just swimming to you and I don't know what happened."

"I had a feeling this would happen, only I hoped it wouldn't from all the exposure you've had to me."

"What?" Mickey asked, confused. "What's happening?"

Ian stroked his face, noting the slight sunburn across his cheeks. "When you first felt it, the pull, I was hurt. Remember?"

Mickey nodded, leaning into Ian's palm without realizing it, nuzzling it. 

"But I'm not hurt anymore so, it's about ten times as strong as it was, it's more dangerous now." Ian explained. "You have to fight it."

"But I don't want to." Mickey whined, rubbing his cheek against Ian's hand. It sent a spark down the side of his face each time. "It just feels so fucking good." Mickey's hands moved over Ian's shoulders, squeezing them, digging his nails into them, feeling his strength. 

"I know it does, Mickey," Ian bumped their noses together as he pressed Mickey's back against the side of the boat. "But if you give in, if you chase that sound, that feeling, you will die."

Mickey heard the words and felt that familiar spark of fear because of it. Just like he had before when Ian told him. He latched onto that fear and swam up against the incredible feelings and the echo of that sound….

Then suddenly he was back in the water with Ian. They were pressed close together, face to face. 

"I'm sorry." Mickey apologized quickly, feeling like a fool for falling for it so easily. "I'm not sure what happened."

"Don't be sorry, just don't forget, okay?" Ian squeezed Mickey's sides where he held him and kept him from sinking. "I need you here with me. I need you alive."

"It's way more intense now," Mickey cupped Ian's face, stroking up the length of his jaw. "I want to feel it all the time."

"Focus on something else, Mickey," Ian pressed his chest against Mickey's, making them both gasp softly. "Just focus on me, not that."

Mickey focused on the feel of Ian's chest against his own, the light shift of water below as Ian's tail moved and the way webbed hands gripped his sides, nearly skin to skin as his shirt floated up. It helped him ground himself, to fight that intense feeling. 

"Good," Ian smiled, "that's it."

"I missed you." Mickey said bluntly, memorizing the gems around Ian's eyes. "I was worried too, thought maybe you'd gone."

Ian's smile slipped. "I missed you, too. It took a bit longer to heal then I anticipated. Trying to grow scales is a little more painful than the tracker itself."

"But you're okay now?" Mickey asked, even glancing in the water knowing he wouldn't be able to see one way or another. 

Ian nodded. "I'm better than okay, I feel wonderful. I haven't felt like this in months." 

"Good, I'm glad." Mickey eyed his lips, unable to resist for a moment. "I was afraid to leave the boat without knowing if you were okay."

Ian glanced up at the boat, sensing no movement from above. "So, we are alone?"

A chill crept down his spine that had nothing to do with the water. But he nodded and tried not to think about what that might normally mean. "Yeah, they all went--"

Ian cut him off, pressing their lips together. Mickey groaned, closing his eyes as he kissed him back. It was just as good as that first time, maybe better because Ian seemed stronger now, pushing him hard against the boat until he couldn't move. 

"Ian." Mickey gasped between kisses, trying to keep up with fast pace. 

Ian pulled back and he moved one hand to Mickey's cheek, his thumb pressing over his lips. "Shhh, if you talk, we can't kiss."

Mickey smiled but Ian didn't move his thumb away. "If you push against me any harder, I'll be in the boat and we still can't kiss."

Ian's eyes widened. "Am I hurting you?"

Before Ian could move, Mickey slipped one hand into the water and gripped his hip, keeping him there. "No, I like it. You're just very strong."

Blushing, Ian looked away. "It's been hard to adjust to being back at full strength."

Mickey gripped Ian's chin, bringing him back, then smoothed his thumb along the sharpness of it. "You don't have to adjust with me, Ian, just do what you want."

"I want to kiss you." Ian leaned down again. "I haven't been able to think of anything else for three days."

Mickey nodded, tracing his bottom lip. "Yeah, tell me about it." His fingers on the back of Ian's neck tightened, making sure he didn't move. "I thought I dreamt it all."

"Then we had the same dream." Ian lightly kissed his lips before he could react and kiss him back. "And I want to do it again, but you're shaking."

Mickey was cold, he couldn't hide the shivers or the way his teeth clacked together silently, but he didn't want to stop. Ever. "I'm fine. It's just adrenaline."

Ian shook his head and moved one hand up Mickey's shirt to feel his skin. "You're cold."

Mickey groaned, his head tipped back leaning against the boat. Ian's hand was just touching the lower part of his ribcage, long fingers spanned wide, touching much more than should be possible. Now he was hard, great.

"I promise I'm fine." Mickey opened his eyes to see Ian staring at his mouth. "Now kiss me."

"Only for a minute," Ian moved his hand to Mickey's lower back, pressing him forward so they were touching as much as possible. "Then you need to get back up on the boat and get warm."

Mickey was leaning forward even as he nodded. His body seemed to shake harder as they kissed, and this time Ian was the one to lick across his lips, asking for entrance. Mickey groaned deeply and opened for him, his grip tightening on Ian's jaw. 

Instinct had him wanting to wrap his legs around Ian's hips, taking it to that next level. He wanted to feel Ian between his legs, pushing him into the boat as they moved together. But he vaguely remembered the swishing of Ian's tail below, not legs…

"We should stop." Mickey surprised himself by saying, surprising Ian too as he moved back, leaving them both breathless.

"Why?" Ian asked, head tilted. "I thought you liked it."

Mickey let out a nervous laugh, keeping his ass back, keeping his hips far away from Ian's body. "I do. But I like it a little too much."

Ian's eyes widened a little as he looked down between them. "You're hard?"

Mickey bit his lip, nodding. "You're a really good kisser." He explained as simply as possible. 

Ian looked up, right at his lips. "So are you. And I know the feeling of liking it too much, trust me."

Mickey knew what that meant. It meant that if Ian was human like him, with legs and correct anatomy, that he would be hard too. But currently Ian did have a tail and Mickey wasn't really sure how that worked, being turned on and stuff. 

"So, maybe this is a good stopping point." Mickey smiled but didn't pull back. 

Ian nodded, smiling as well. "You promised to go get warm, so you must."

Mickey nodded. "We normally stay pretty far from the water, but if I stayed somewhere closer, would you stay too?"

Changing the subject was literally the only thing that would help his body relax enough for his erection to flag. He needed to forget that train of thought about wrapping his legs around Ian's hips before it got worse.

"How close?"

"They have a few places right on the water. It's more expensive but closer and there are less people." Mickey explained knowing that he would stay close to the water even if Ian said no. "We would have to be careful but I need to see you."

"As long as I can stay in the water then I'll stay with you." Ian leaned in, not kissing him but close enough to where it was possible. "It'll be easier at night though, makes it harder for people to see."

"Night works for me, Ian," Mickey felt that pull again, tugging on invisible strings attached to his body, trying to coax him into giving in. "And I still have my boat, I can drive further out and see you too. We don't have to worry about anyone."

Ian smiles happily. "How long are you here for?"

"Just a few days to restock. Spend some time actually walking." He smiled because he was currently floating. "I prefer to swim though."

Ian grinned. "Me too." He swam slowly to the open edge of the boat. "Now up you go."

Mickey reluctantly gripped the side of the boat, already missing the feel of Ian's body against his as he swam back. "It's still early. I can go get a place and come back to tell you where it is."

Ian glanced up at the moon, knowing he had about 9 hours until dawn. "Just tell me which part of the beach it's on and I'll find you."

God, he really didn't want to get out of the water. Mickey missed him already and they were still together. It must have showed because Ian was swimming closer, allowing him to slip one hand around Ian's back. 

"Maybe I'll just stay on the boat so I don't have to leave." Mickey suggested, bumping their noses together again. "That sounds better, right?"

Ian shook his head. "No, go ahead and I will meet you, okay? I don't trust that you won't roll off this boat in the middle of the night."

Shit, he hadn't thought of that. With how strong that feeling was now, Mickey was actually worried Ian was right. Even if he slept below, what if he followed that sound and walked off the boat? It was dangerous and he wasn't confident with control yet.

"Fine," Mickey huffed when Ian smiled. "But if you can't make it then I'm not going."

"If it's on the water I can make it." Ian bumped his nose. "Promise."

Before Ian made him leave, for real this time, Mickey leaned forward and Ian met him for it. One soft kiss turned into two, that turned into three. Ian once again had him pushed into the boat, making his entire body ache with all that strength he felt just under the surface.

Ian groaned softly, breaking the kiss to look down. "You're hard again."

It had him laughing. "Again? More like still." Ian looked a little startled, green eyes widening as he look down again. "Make sure you stay close, okay?"

Ian narrowed his eyes. "Now?"

"No, when I leave." He laughed again. "You stay any closer and I'll never leave." 

Ian grabbed Mickey's hand from where it rested against his back and stretched it up, making him grip the top of the boat with his other hand. "Go." He gripped his sides, lifting him.

Mickey was now sitting on the deck, only his legs dangling in the water. Ian lifted him up easily, arms bulging but not straining under his weight and fuck if it didn't keep him hard the whole time. 

"I may have to adjust to that, too." Mickey looked down, watching Ian's hands slip from his hips almost sensually, but that might have been his lusty imagination. 

Ian smirked. "You know where to find me."

Mickey nodded as he stood on shaky legs, watching Ian sink lower just for him to stop and come back up. "What is it?"

"I almost forgot, I have something for you." Ian smiled and reached into his hair before moving up to the boat again.

Mickey bent down, beyond excited to know what this gift was. He held his hand out and was amazed when Mickey put a shiny yellow scale in his hand, the end of it tipped orange. He brought it closer, absolutely shocked.

"Just to say thank you again for helping me." Ian explained shyly.

Mickey touched it with his thumb, feeling how smooth it was. "You didn't need to do this to thank me."

Ian's smile slipped. "You don't like it?"

"No!" Mickey shouted loudly, making Ian flinch a little. "Shit, sorry. I meant no, I don't just like it Ian, I love it." He glanced at it again. "I wondered what it might feel like."

"My tail?" Ian asked. 

Mickey nodded. "I know that might sound a little strange, but it's just so incredible." He slipped it into his pocket with the other two items. "Thank you."

Ian slipped down a little further, blushing. "You're welcome."

**

A little over an hour had passed since the docks. Mickey reluctantly left when Ian did. He arranged a two bedroom bungalow for the next three days. It cost him nearly a thousand dollars but it would be worth it. And it was literally on the water; as in hovering above it with a sturdy foundation built right into the sand. He had to walk across a bridge to get to it and was completely surrounded by water. He had a few small docks attached to it, chairs and a fire pit on one dock, the other bare for when he would get in and out of the water carefully.

It was perfect. Ian could swim right from the deepest parts of the ocean all the way up to his front door. His nearest neighbor was nearly half a mile away so they wouldn't have to look over their shoulder when they meet or talk in hushed whispers. The water was shallow enough for him to stand in and still came up to well passed his neck. He could climb in with Ian or sit on the dock and talk to him, they could swim or maybe Ian could sit with him on the dock if he wanted.

Mickey told Ian were it was, grabbed his bags off the boat and called a cab to take him back. While he waited for Ian to swim around, he took a little tour of his private getaway. It has two bedrooms, both with large beds facing the large windows for the perfect view. A decent sized kitchen, more than he was used to for this being nothing but a pricey hotel. He had a living room with a big flat screen TV which he had no use for at the moment. Really the only thing he cared about was the water access. 

Mickey dumped his stuff, ordered whatever food was available at after midnight, stripped off his wet clothes, opting for swim trunks and a tank top, grabbed the six pack of beer he picked up along the way and moved outside. It took less than five minutes to start a fire, both the sounds and smells were enough to put his already fantastic mood into overdrive. He sat down on one of the beach chairs, opened a beer and waited for Ian to show. 

It was already so relaxing. No shitty motels this time, no thin walls where you were forced to listen to the couple next door either fight or fuck their way through the night. He wouldn't have the boys waking him up at ungodly hours for stupid shit. Even now, listening to the water and the crackling fire, watching the stars above and the water below and he felt like he was on an actual vacation. His shoulders were no longer tense, his jaw wasn't clenched tightly and his mind wasn't trying to overthink itself into an early grave. 

Or it was, but not about work or being worried about Ian's safety. More like worried about how easily his body reacted to Ian's. The only thing they did was kiss. Ian's hand was on his skin for less than five seconds and it was long enough to have him hard, aching for attention. 

It surprised him because that had been the first time Mickey thought of Ian in a sexual way. The dream he had on the beach a few months and did not count. This time it was from actual contact, something he craved. 

"Fuck." Mickey groaned, trying to block out the feeling of Ian's hand up his shirt as he took a long drink. 

"Mickey?" 

Mickey jumped slightly at the sound of Ian's voice, noting that he wasn't as relaxed as he tries to be. But he sat up, setting his beer aside and watched Ian swim up to the dock, looking back and forth like he was on the lookout. 

"Have trouble finding it?" Mickey asked and slipped off the chair and sat on the edge of the dock. 

Ian shook his head, coming closer. "I could feel you here."

That spark once again flared to life, burning him from both ends and if he wasn't careful, he would lose himself along the way. Ian could feel him from a distance and that wasn't as creepy as it would have sounded months ago. 

"Well, you're pretty much in the house." Mickey smiled as he turned and could see the couch from outside the window. "Any more access to the water and it would lead inside."

Ian chuckled. "I like it. Just enough privacy for me to feel relatively safe, you have access to land at all times and I have the water."

From this part of the ocean, Mickey was able to see more. Not more of the actual water because with Ian near everything seemed to take a back seat to him. He meant more of Ian. With the dim lights on around him, he was able to see Ian's long tail curling around the white sand under them, able to relax a little instead of constantly swimming. 

Mickey could make out the lines and grooves from his fin, delicately designed despite its constant use. The scales were now green tipped in blue, almost luminescent because of the lights. And it was perfect, no wounds or scars. Just beautiful, perfect scales all the way up to his hips. Then his skin, extremely soft to the touch; first hand knowledge allowed him to describe that accurately. And since he was all the way healed, he no longer looked pale but a light golden brown color, like the best tan in the history of tans.

The human part; his upper body was like an athlete. His body was slimmer towards his hips, but expanded the higher you looked. Ian's six pack was utterly ridiculous and very hard to miss, and hard to not look. His chest was buff, muscled as well as his arms and his shoulders were something to wax poetic about. 

"Mickey?" Ian said his name loudly.

Mickey snapped to attention and realized he was in the water. He groaned, glancing around from where he'd been sitting on the dock on a few seconds ago. "What happened?" 

Ian shook his head, smiling a little. "You weren't fighting it again."

Mickey clenched his jaw. "Shit, I didn't even realize it."

"You just kinda spaced out." Ian brushed Mickey's hair back from his face. "What were you thinking about?"

Mickey was too embarrassed to realize the intimate touch Ian gave him. He could feel the blush on his cheeks just because he would have to tell him. "I was thinking about you."

Ian's eyebrows rose. "What about me?"

Mickey smiled, trying not to glance down and finish looking until he could memorize Ian's body perfectly. "How amazing you look." He paused as Ian's eyes seemed to get larger. "Aside from that few minutes under water with you, I haven't been able to get a good look."

"Why do you need to look at me?" Ian asked, slightly tilting his head as he looked at Mickey. 

"I guess I don't need to. But I want to." Mickey chewed his lip nervously. "You're mermaid, Ian, you're kind of incredible. You're beautiful and it's a little hard not to look."

Mickey thought maybe he'd been too forward, too honest because Ian didn't say anything. Until he literally watched Ian's eyes darken just before he lunged at him, arms wrapping around his neck, their heads pressed together. Mickey wrapped his arms around Ian's body, holding him back.

"Normally when people see things that are beautiful, they covet them." Ian lowered his voice, pushing his hands into his hair, loving the way it slipped through his fingers. "They want to keep them without a second thought."

Mickey licked his lips, anticipating what was coming. "Beauty can't be captured, Ian. It can't be taken away or demolished. Even with those kinds of people out there, it remains beautiful no matter what."

"You are beautiful, Mickey." Ian moved his thumbs to trace over his cheeks, then his jaw. "Despite the world being mean and ugly. Despite the life you could have if you did capture me, you haven't." 

Mickey swallowed thickly, absorbing every single word. 

"Why people break beautiful things is something I will never understand. But against everything, you remain beautiful by just being you." Ian lightly pressed him against the dock, not wanting any space left between them. "It is I who should be looking at you the way you look at me."

Mickey could see the way Ian looked at him and it was the same way he looked at Ian. "If you could see your eyes right now, you could see the way you're looking at me."

Ian glanced down, seeing where they touched. His skin against the scratchy material of Mickey's shirt. "Can I do something?" He asked softly, almost shyly and glanced up. 

Mickey nodded without even asking what it was. Ian was looking down, making his body flame under that look. "Whatever you want."

Ian's hands moved down to the bottom of his shirt, wet from the water and gripped it, lightly pulling up and Mickey already knew what he was going to do. 

"You're sure?" Ian asked again, voice low. 

"I'm sure, Ian." Mickey whispered back. 

The shirt slowly moved up, sticking to his body until Mickey had to lift his arms up for Ian to take it all the way off. The shirt was set aside and Mickey was almost afraid to see Ian's reaction. 

"You're nervous." Ian stated, seeing the slight tremble in his body. "Why?"

"Because compared to you," Mickey trailed off, glancing down at all the hard edges of his body. "I don't look nearly as good."

"I enjoy the way you look." Ian moved his hands to rest against Mickey's firm chest. "But I like it a lot better without the shirt off."

Mickey smiled. "Not a fan of clothes?"

Ian shook his head, slowly moving his hands across smooth skin. "I prefer skin on skin. Especially yours."

When one of Ian's hands moved to his back, adding just enough pressure to press their chests together, Mickey couldn't stop the moan that bubbled up his throat. This was not helping him forget about the needs of his body, not even a little bit. 

"Ian," Mickey whined and had to clear his throat to start again, a little less needy this time. "Ian, uh… you remember that stopping point from earlier?"

Ian nodded. "Do we need to stop again?"

His entire body was screaming NO. Mickey wanted this, he needed it. Even if the only thing that happened was their chests touching. But he knew it wouldn't stop there and he forced himself to nod, to say yes. 

"So, that means no kissing then?" Ian asked a little sadly. 

Mickey whimpered, one hand moving to tilt Ian's face just as he leaned in. "Maybe just a little." He whispered just seconds before Ian connected them. Taking his lips in a hungry kiss that left him digging his nails into his shoulder. 

It was a little frantic, chaotic. Their lips moved quickly, harder and faster than any of their other kisses. Ian's hand was big enough to cup one side of his face entirely, his fingertips at the hinge of his jaw, pushing just enough for him to open. 

"God," Mickey groaned just as Ian's tongue slid along his own, making goosebumps flare down his spine. The need to feel more was just too much, making his body tremble as he quickly turned his head, breaking the kiss. Only he didn't think Ian would just move to his neck, kissing all the way from his ear to the bend in his shoulder. "Ian."

"You smell so good." Ian whispered against his skin between kisses, his nose pressed against his neck. "You smell like the sun."

Mickey moaned quietly, tipping his head back to rest against the dock as Ian kept moving lower, his tongue slowly licking his skin. "Please, Ian." He begged; unsure if he needed him to stop or keep going. 

"I can smell your arousal, Mickey." Ian inhaled deeply before sucking against his neck. "I can taste it on you."

When Ian moved, his tail pressed right against his groin, making him lose his breath so fast he became a little dizzy. He wanted to grind forward to ease that ache, it would be so easy, it would feel so good just to get a little friction. 

But he didn't. They couldn't.

"It feels too good," Mickey gasped, pulling Ian out of his neck as his skin tingled from Ian's tongue. "We can't do this."

Ian nodded. "Not in the way you need," he paused to lick his lips for another taste. "Or in the way I can, but I can help you."

Mickey's body pulsed. "Help me how?"

Ian didn't speak, just breathed heavily against his lips and let his hand slip down Mickey's body, settling at his hips. "I haven't had a lot of experience pleasing humans," he paused, his fingertips just above his tented shorts, "but I know what to do, how to help."

The offer alone was sexy enough to make him come and he wanted to push Ian's hand down, he wanted to feel Ian touching him like that. Making him come, making the pressure leave his body in that violently orgasmic way. 

"I can't ask that," Mickey's voice trembled like the rest of him. "I won't ask that, Ian." He glanced down, moving his hand to rest low on Ian's hips, just before that beautiful line of scales and watched his muscles contract. "I can't--" he trailed off. "Not when you can't…"

"I won't be able to react in the same way as you, I won't be able to find that release," Ian agreed, his voice was suddenly deeper. "But I would feel the rest. My body pulses like yours, I feel the ache for it."

Mickey moaned loudly, his face heating up in the way that only dirty talk can make it. That's what this was, that's what it sounded like when Ian spoke. It was worded differently, less crude than what he was used to but it had a more intense effect on his body. 

"I want it," Mickey whimpered, nearly pushing up on his toes to see if Ian's hand would rub over him. "But it doesn't seem fair like that, not if you can't in the same way."

Ian nodded, eyes still lingering on his mouth. "What would you have me do then?" His voice was deep, thick with arousal. "The more we touch, the more we kiss, the more you want it."

Mickey lightly dug his nails into Ian's hips, pulling a delicious sounding gasp from him. "I never want to stop kissing you Ian, like ever. But we may have to take breaks in between to make my body calm down." His hand moved up instead of down, gripping Ian's neck. "And please don't think I'm saying no because I don't want it. You know I do, but it just wouldn't seem fair to me."

Ian nodded, his hand also moving up to cup the side of Mickey's face. "And I hope you know that fair or not, I would like to help you, Mickey." He rubbed their noses together, hearing Mickey's breath hitch. "I would find much enjoyment seeing you like that, hearing it. And if you change your mind, the offer still stands."

Mickey groaned and pulled Ian against his mouth before he said another word. Ian's mouth opened instantly, letting his tongue in, to lick inside Ian's mouth like he wanted to do to the rest of him. He wanted to give into that offer and pant and groan against Ian's lips as he worked him to that edge, he wanted to look down and see Ian's long webbed fingers wrapped around him, and he knew it would take only seconds to find his orgasm. 

"If we figure out a way where I can return the favor, then yes." Mickey panted against Ian's mouth, then nipped his bottom lip. "But until then, I probably need to get out of the water."

Ian nodded, reluctantly backing away. "You want me to go?"

Mickey turned and pulled himself out of the water, sitting where he had been and shook his head no. "Of course not. Unless you want to go, then that's different."

"I don't want to leave until I have to." He swam back enough to stretch his tail out, laying on top of the water as he gauged the time by the moon. "But I can't stay for much longer."

Reaching over to grab another beer, Mickey waited to ask why until he drained about half of it, hoping the alcohol would help him relax again. "What do you need to leave for? If you don't mind me asking."

Ian sunk back into the water, avoiding Mickey's eyes. "I just need to go somewhere safe before dawn. Boats and humans get up early to go on the water."

There was something Ian wasn't telling him. Mickey could tell just by the loss of eye contact. Ian always held his eyes. Always. "Anywhere special you go?"

"I have places all over. Nothing on land of course," Ian looked at him finally, realizing that he wouldn't pry. "When sleep is required, I usually go to one of the sea caves where nothing can get to me."

Mickey nodded. Sea caves, or underwater caves were deep in the ocean, normally at the bottom so humans couldn't get there unless they had scuba gear. It would be safe enough to sleep, to let your guard down, but it was sad that Ian wasn't safe enough just to live anywhere he wanted in the ocean. 

The rest of the beer was drained on his next drink. "I wish it were easier for you, Ian. That you didn't have to hide for people to leave you alone."

Ian smiled appreciatively at him. "Maybe one day it will be. For now, it's just something I need to do, to make me feel safe."

"Caves, huh?" He asked, trying to change the subject to something lighter. And Ian nodded, that smile coming back into place. "I haven't been cave diving in years."

Ian perked right up, grinning as he swam to the dock. "You cave dive?"

"I do," he smiled back. "I haven't had time in awhile though but I would still enjoy it."

"Before you have to leave here, would you like me to take you?" Ian asked shyly, hoping Mickey said yes. "It's nothing overly special but it would be fun."

It had Mickey grinning from ear to ear, wanting to get suited up now and go. "Hell yeah, I'd love to see it." He could see Ian's cheeks redden from his excitement. "Can we go tomorrow?"

Ian laughed. "Whenever you want."

"I want to now." Mickey laughed as well, making Ian's smile widen. "Is it far?"

"Not for me because I swim faster than your boat, but it might take an hour or so." Ian tried to judge the time correctly. "Is that too far?"

"Nope, not at all." Mickey lightly kicked his feet, trying not to be so giddy. "I have three days to fill before we leave. I'd drive for days to see it."

"How deep can you go?" Ian asked, knowing that question was really important. 

"Pretty deep, I'm trained for pretty much every depth." Mickey made a mental note to see if he had his gear on board or if he would need to rent some. "How deep is it?"

"Not as deep as some of my other ones but it's about eighty-five feet to the entrance, give or take a mile." 

Mickey was a little surprised that Ian went that deep, all just to be alone and there was a reason that Ian wasn't comfortable sharing with him. A secret, probably one of many and Mickey suddenly wanted to know all about it.

"But there is air once you get in, right?" Mickey asked, just to be sure so he could decide on a dual tank or a single. 

Ian nodded. "Half of the cave itself is on land, but you just have to swim a ways to make it."

"Sounds like a plan." Mickey held his beer with his right hand and offered Ian his free one, which he took instantly. "I'll make sure I have what I need. But do you need anything?"

Ian narrowed his eyes. "Like what?"

"I have no idea," he laughed even more at Ian's confused face. "Just feel like I should ask. Make sure you have what you need."

Ian squeezed his hand. "The ocean has everything I need, mostly just the water." He swam closer, putting his cheek against one of Mickey's thighs. "And you. I need you as much as I need the water "

His hand slipped from Ian's and moved down the length of his back, petting him, letting his fingers move up and down the gems on his spine. It was more relaxing than the beer.

"I need you, too," Mickey replied after a minute, feeling Ian's hand curl around one leg in the water. "I know all this shit started bad, like how we met, but I'm happy we did."

Ian looked up, smiling. "It could have gone a little smoother, I agree, but I'm happy we did too. You make me very happy."

God, Ian was making his heart ache. In all his life, he never made anyone happy. Not his parents or his siblings, aside from Mandy. His friends loved him for different reasons and the one guy he actually loved a long time ago, wasn't as happy as he thought. So making Ian happy made him a little emotional, but happy, very happy. 

"I've never been this happy before." Mickey replied, looking around and knowing they both knew it had nothing to do with the location or the amazing room. "You've made me smile more in the past few weeks then I ever have."

Ian lifted his head up, moving to swim around so he was in front of him. "That doesn't sound good Mickey. That you've never been happy before."

Mickey smiled. "It wasn't good, but it is now and I'm happy with that. I'm happy with you."

Ian let the waves carry him forward so he was within reach of Mickey's mouth. He gripped his face with both hands, running his fingers into his hair, something he was growing to love. "Then I will make sure you are happy all the time when you're with me."

Mickey dropped the bottle to grip Ian's lower back, swallowing his groan when Ian's tail scraped the insides of his thighs. "You already do."

"I'm going to kiss you now," Ian announced, moving in until their noses bumped. "Because some time has passed since we kissed before and I really want to, and I have to go in a minute."

Mickey nodded, licking his lips, ready for it. Ian's voice sounded just a little frantic, urgent in a way that Mickey fully understood.

When Ian went for it, kissing him just as urgently as his words had been, Mickey allowed his legs to lift out of the water hesitantly curling them around Ian's lower back. The reaction was instant, making them both groan and for Ian to nearly push him back against the dock. 

"I have to go," Ian panted as he pulled back, his hands sliding down over Mickey's thighs, gripping them tightly, making him groan. "Before I can't."

Mickey nodded, enjoying the scrape against his thighs again as Ian moved away, leaving him hard and ready. "Be careful, Ian." He had to stop and clear his voice. "Promise?"

Ian swam backwards, not wanting to look away until he had to. "I promise, Mickey."


	8. Sea Caves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian shows Mickey to his cave and things get a little heated between them with danger lurking above the water..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ian's POV first, then Mickey's

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 8- Sea Caves

(Ian's POV)

Ian stayed after Mickey went inside. He pretended he left, going deep under the water just until Mickey made it back inside, then he swam up to the house, able to see in the window, to see him.

In all reality, after they parted ways for the last time, it was too late to leave. It would take a few hours to get there and he wouldn't make it before sunrise, before his tail vanished for those long hours. He'd be stuck in the middle of the ocean, alone and vulnerable to what swims beneath the water and what glides on top of it. 

It was safer to stay, the water was shallow enough under the house for him to sit on the bottom and still have plenty of air. The house would hide him from anyone in range, not to mention Mickey was just inside. If he needed anything, he would be one call away, even if he never intended to tell Mickey about the curse. 

He wouldn't understand. No one did. Not his family, or the few friends he once had. They thought he was being selfish for wanting legs, for being willing to leave the sea forever, for love. 

It was still dark out as Ian peeked into the dimly lit house. It seemed nice inside, nice and dry and very human like. All his curiosities about the shiny things he could point out had been lost the moment Mickey stepped into the main room, his clothes from earlier were gone and there was only a white towel over his hips. 

Ian licked his lips, staying low enough not to be seen but close enough to see everything. He could see how wet his hair was, how wet his entire body was. He had drops of water sliding down into the dry floor. He could see the strong width of Mickey's shoulders when he turned, the narrow slide to his hips but his butt was hidden from his eyes. Not his legs, those were as bare as the rest of him, making Ian grip the deck hard enough for the wood to creek.

Ian wanted this human. 

Maybe it was selfish, maybe it would never work how it was meant to, but Ian wanted him. All of him. 

"Mickey." Ian whispered, not at all surprised when Mickey turned around, glancing out the window, even though there was no way he could see him. But Mickey could feel him, hear him in the same way he'd found Mickey.

Watching the ways of humans never interested him before. Not the way they sat around, not moving for hours at a time, their attention is always drawn to human devices that made no sense to him. He didn't want to watch them eat or sleep, or talk to other humans using words he couldn't understand. 

But he wanted to watch Mickey. Especially since he walked into the bigger room, the one with the large bed in the center, pointed directly at the window. Mickey didn't even take notice of the open windows, not covered but allowing him look into the ocean, or letting Ian look into the room. 

"Wow." Ian muttered to himself as Mickey sat on the edge of the bed, his legs spread almost wide enough for him to see up the towel. "Mickey." 

What was happening in front of him couldn't be real, not even as he watched it. Not even when his body thrummed with that sexual aura Mickey brought out of him, when that ache returned that could only be taken care of if he was willing to allow himself a moment of pleasure.

Which was exactly what Mickey was doing.

Mickey was now on his back against the bed, keeping Ian's eyes wide open as the towel around his hips parted and he finally got a glance at the rest of Mickey's beautiful body. Strong, rough hands moved over Mickey's chest, fingertips dancing over his nipples, then lower to his sternum, making Ian lick his lips and get closer. 

He was an incredible human. Nice and strong, his body well muscled but perfect for his shorter height. Ian could see the muscles shifting under tanned skin, he could see Mickey's eyes close as his lips parted and a silent groan was released. Ian could remember what it sounded like, he could hear those ragged breaths and when he licked his lips. 

It had him copying him. Ian moved his hand where Mickey did. First over his neck, then his nipples, making the same sounds, the same faces. Mickey's back bowed eagerly, making a chill run down his spine. When Mickey slowly rubbed his hands down his ribcage, Ian did the same, counting carefully until both of their fingers danced around their hips. 

Without anywhere else on his own body to go, Ian watched as Mickey's hand passed his hips, touching himself where he ached the most. Ian flushed hotly, causing him to splash water across his chest before he could look again. He could see Mickey's arm moving, tensing and retracting over and over again as he pleasured himself, as he took care of that ache. 

"God, Mickey…" Ian groaned, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead against the damp deck. 

His entire body was aching for it, for that release. To help Mickey with his and be offered the same in return. Ian wanted to be able to kiss his lips each time he groaned, or to feel blunt nails digging into his back. Ian wanted to hear him, to see him move, to give him what he needed. 

"Ian."

At the sound of his name, Ian glanced up, eyes wide as he watched Mickey's entire body move against the bed. His legs were no longer dangling off the side, but planted on the edge of the bed, spread wide, blocking the view he once had. Ian stretched up, moved from side to side to get a better angle, to watch him but he couldn't see passed his legs. 

"Please, Ian." Mickey moaned again.

Ian felt it flush down his body like fire. Mickey wanted him right now, he wanted it to be him who did this, who took care of his body, to quench that ache and make him moan. 

"I'm here, Mickey," Ian moaned softly, licking his dry lips as his eyes looked down at his own body. 

His tail felt like it spent too much time out of the water; dry and itchy. He felt trapped, contained. Unable to give Mickey what he wanted right now, what he needed, because of his tail. Mickey needed him, Mickey wanted him.

Ian let go of the deck, starting back at his neck and followed the same path as before, only this time he didn't stop at his tail. He ran one hand down the side, feeling goosebumps flair up his arms, making him groan just a little as the scales scraped his palm. He looked up at Mickey, watching him thrash against the bed, and ran his hand down his tail again, groaning a little louder.

"I want it, Ian," Mickey whined. "Please."

The faster Mickey moved his arm, the faster Ian stroked his tail. It wasn't the same by far, but it felt the same. It eased the ache a little, it tricked his body into thinking he could have that same release. And he wanted to do it now, with Mickey. To the sound of him groaning his name, his beautiful body moving like the water. 

"Just like that, fuck…" 

Ian moved his hand faster, harder, panting until he was a little light headed. Mickey was almost there, he could hear it, he could see it. Ian watched as his other hand moved between his legs, just like the other had, but further down, touching just between his cheeks, slipping in and out of his body.

It had Ian holding his breath, afraid to glance away. 

"Ian, Ian...God!" Mickey yelled, head turning into the sheets. 

Mickey was so close. He was on the brink, one touch away from euphoria. Ian jerked his hand away from his tail and dug his nails into his hip, pulling a groan from deep within his chest. He wanted no distractions from this, not even for his own pleasure.

"Come for me, Mickey." Ian groaned, almost sure Mickey could hear it.

"Oh, my God!!" Mickey screamed, body arching on the bed. 

Ian watched as he found it, as it blasted up his body so hard that it had Mickey whining, curling on his side while his body shook out of control. He could hear soft whimpering sounds, harsh breathing, his name in soft whispers, he could see the sweat dripping down his spine, his wet fingers slipping from his body.

He was phenomenal. 

Ian felt all of it, everything Mickey experienced, only not the actual release. It felt like he reached that edge over and over but refused to fall over it, refused to let his body have it. His skin was sensitive, his tail twitched in the water quickly, sharply. His hands gripped the deck, splintering it in a few places. He was ravenous for it.

The warmth on his back forced him to move away from the house before he could see Mickey's actions after. The sun was coming quickly, leaving him only seconds to swim back under the house. 

Ian hissed as the burning sensation moved from his hips, down to his fin. Losing scales, being replaced by pale skin, his tail transformed into legs, his fin into feet and he was able to lean against the wooden beam until the pain eased up enough. 

He was human again, if only for a few hours. 

Normally, he hated his legs. He hated that his tail was gone for a few hours every single day. But he hated it even less at the moment, he was hard. Just as Mickey had been, aching and in need of attention. 

Normally he just left it, ignoring his needs until they passed. But this time he knew it wouldn't be so easy. Not after seeing Mickey like that, not after hearing his name over and over again. 

Ian shut his eyes as one hand slipped under the water and gripped himself. "Mickey." He groaned his name, just as Mickey had and started to stroke. He pictured everything he saw, what he heard, what he felt when Mickey was against him, when he felt how hard he'd been. 

His other arm lifted up, gripped the support beam of the house, keeping him from sinking as his legs refused to work for him. It allowed him to keep moving his other arm, keep working towards that release. 

"I want you, Mickey." Ian whispered, truly amazed that it easily felt ten times better by just saying his name.

He pictured Mickey back in the water, one arm around his back, their heads pressed together, their lips locked. Or the way Mickey's skin tasted, or the way he sounded. 

"Oh." Ian shut his eyes, a little embarrassed at the blinding speed of his arm but there was no way to stop now. He was so close, feeling it spreading to his entire body as it had before, only this time he would finish. "Mickey. Mickey…" 

"Ian."

The sound of Mickey saying his name echoed in his mind, pushing him, egging him on. His chest was moving quickly as he panted, water dripped from his hair into his eyes, across his lips, his entire body shook, growing too sensitive to touch.

"Mickey!" Ian moaned that final time and nearly fell into the water as it took over, as his release shot into the water, making his eyes close as he kept moving his arm until he was forced to let go. 

With no energy, Ian sank into the water until his butt hit the sand and the soft waves lapped at his neck. His body felt completely relaxed, his head resting back against the beam as he caught his breath, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes closed.

Mickey made him feel like this. Like he was made of pure energy. Like nothing could ever hurt him. 

**  
(Mickey POV)

There was no telling how early it was, may be five in the morning when he heard splashing outside his window. He'd dozed off after his post shower activities, then woke up to that sound. He associated that sound with Ian trying to get his attention. 

It had him up off the bed, snatching the towel to wrap around his hips. The sun was low in the sky, barely up for an hour or so, but no Ian. Only the unsettling water like maybe he'd just been there a few seconds ago. 

When he turned around, intent on going back to bed, but he heard it again. Mickey turned fast, seeing Ian's red hair glowing in the sun, but behind him were legs? He had to shut his eyes, rubbing them with the palms of his hands before he looked again and saw one foot sticking out of the water.

A human foot...no tail.

That couldn't have been Ian. It had to be someone close to him, one of his few neighbors out for a morning swim, that might have had the same color hair as Ian. It had to be because what he saw, or what he thought he saw was impossible.

"Ian?" Mickey called loudly, studying the water where he'd seen him...or someone. 

No reply came, no sounds of splashing or golden tails or legs. Just nothing. Mickey shook his head as he went back inside, a little too rattled to sleep now. His body was fully awake, counting down the minutes before Ian showed, maybe he could ask him? See what his take was on it…

After half an hour, he was far too restless to stay inside. He called a cab and asked to be taken to the nearest dive shop. He had his suit and mask on his boat, but no tanks. Mickey rented two of them, not flinching at the price and dropped them off at his boat before going back to his bungalow. 

One look outside let him know Ian wasn't there yet. It gave him enough time to try and call Mandy, even when she didn’t answer.

"Hey Mandy, it's Mick. Haven't heard from you in a few days, wanted to check in. See if you're okay and have any info on what we talked about last time."

There was no way he would way mermaids or any code words on a voicemail. It was too easy to hack in to and he wouldn't put it past Noah to do such things. 

"Just gimme a call, yeah? Got more to tell you and wanna ask you something. Love you." Mickey ended the call and grabbed his coffee and went outside to wait. 

Was it possible for mermaids to have legs? Aside from watching The Little Mermaid with Mandy when they were kids, he hadn't given it much thought. And Ariel did have legs but there was a witch involved, and she lost her voice so Mickey was wondering how anyone could get reliable information from that. It was better to wait and hear from Mandy, or ask Ian. 

When his phone rang, he nearly dropped his coffee trying to dig it out of his pocket, only to see that it was Iggy and not Mandy. Probably salty because he skipped out on breakfast.

"Hey Igg, what's up?"

Iggy scoffed. "So much for meeting for food."

Mickey smiled, not sorry in the slightest. "Sorry man, late night. Didn't even sleep til the sun came up."

"So, he showed then?"

"Yeah, he showed. Said that it took some time to heal after we took that tracker out." Mickey explained, leaning back to try and relax until he wasn't so on edge. 

"I bet, that shit had to hurt. Fine, I forgive you for missing food. We gonna see you today?"

"Probably not til later." Mickey glanced around quickly, feeling like he wasn't alone any more. "Waiting for him now, gonna take the boat out and head into the water."

"Any signs of Noah yet?" Iggy asked.

Shit, it was almost easy to forget about Noah. He'd been gone for almost four days, not a peep out of him and that was concerning. 

"Not yet but I'm gonna keep my eyes open on the water. Gonna check for any more trackers, just in case." 

Splashing in the water caught his attention. Mickey sat up, flipped his shades to rest on his head and watched a little awestruck as Ian moved swiftly through the water and up to the dock.

It felt like he had no control over his body anymore. Mickey didn't remember standing up, or moving closer, he didn't remember ending the call with Iggy or sitting on the dock. The only thing he knew was how beautiful Ian looked in the sun, how his tail really did look like liquid gold and the way his hair seemed to brighten even though it always remained the same color. 

"Can you hear me, Mickey?" Ian asked, hands on his thighs to keep him from sliding into the water.

Ian's voice was loud, booming in his ears. It drowned out the sounds around him. The water as the waves crashed into the deck, the birds above, even the sound of his pounding heart. It was all dimmed by Ian's voice. 

"Can you tell me what you're feeling?"

"I feel you." Mickey answered quickly, his eyes locked on Ian's eyes. "Everything else is a little dim, like background noise except your voice."

Ian nodded, smiling. "I know you're fighting it, I can feel the strain but I can't help you get out of it. You have to."

Mickey fought it all, the intense feelings of his voice, the way it all seemed peaceful and warm when he spoke. He knew it was a trick, he knew what Ian felt like for real, his lips and his hands, his actual voice in his ear. It was the only way to get out, knowing Ian was real, that he could touch him, see him.

Then it was all back in focus. The waves and the birds and the heat of the sun from above. Mickey blinked and Ian came into focus as well, holding his thighs as he stayed in the water. Mickey put his hands on top of Ian's and squeezed. 

"I think I'm getting a handle on it." Mickey laughed, trying to get away from all that weirdness.

"You are, it happens quicker every time." Ian smiled, reaching up to grab his shiny glasses. "I like these."

Mickey smiled, watching Ian examine his glasses before he put them on, only the ends settled over his gills, where his ears should have been. "I think they look good."

Ian tilted his head a little and they slipped off. "Would help if I had ears." He set them back on Mickey's head, thumbing his ears. "Like you."

He felt that touch all over his body, leaning his face into Ian's palm before he moved away. "I'm not sure I could imagine you with them. I'm used to you like this." 

"I missed you." Ian said softly, rubbing his thumb over Mickey's cheekbone. 

"I missed you too." Mickey replied easily, waiting for the right time to ask his question. "Did you still want to go today?"

Ian nodded, looking at his lips. "Maybe after a kiss hello?"

"After." Mickey whispered, leaning forward a little when Ian's grip on his jaw tightened, bringing him close. "Maybe more than one."

Images of him getting off to Ian this morning flashed into his mind, making him a little breathless the second Ian's lips were on his. The kiss was more than just saying hello, Mickey wound his hands around the back of Ian's neck, holding him closer, forcing him out of the water to keep up the kiss.

Ian went, both hands braced on the deck so only the bottom half of his tail was in the water. 

"You always taste the same." Ian whispered as he moved back. "I don't know what it is, but it's always the same."

Mickey's hands moved to Ian's face, stroking his jaw, thumbing lightly over the gems around his eyes. "And kissing you always makes my knees a little weak."

"I know the feeling." Ian whispered quickly.

God, that only made him want to ask right now. Was Ian meaning he knew the actual feeling of weak knees or just what he assumed it might feel like? Mickey wanted to ask about what he saw, he wanted to know the truth, even if he just imagined the leg part. 

"Ready to go?" Ian asked, backing up a little.

"Yeah, gotta catch a ride to my boat and I'll be set." Mickey smiled, pushing his curious feelings aside again. "Wanna meet me at the marina or I can come back here?"

"It's closer from here, but I'm good with either way."

Mickey looked around, a little uncomfortable with how many boats he saw in the water already. His eyes quickly scanned each of them, looking for signs of Noah's. It might be too risky to let Ian sit here and wait for him but the marina would be worse. 

"There are too many boats for you to meet me at the marina." Mickey glanced down at Ian as he looked around. "I'm gonna go get my boat, you wanna clear all the ones here and just meet me further out?"

Ian nodded. "Seems the only safe thing to do."

"Okay, we got a plan. It'll take about twenty minutes, so keep a lookout?" Mickey asked, bending down for another kiss. "And be careful."

Ian met him for the kiss, once again rising to his level long enough for their tongues to tangle and for Mickey to groan that wonderful sound. "You too, Mickey."

**

Twenty minutes seemed a little too long to be away from Ian, but he'd gone way longer so it couldn't have been too bad. He was just worried. The amount of boats out that early was alarming. It would be easy for Ian to be seen, or get tangled in a net or a trap. 

But he moved far enough away to feel safer meeting Ian. Only one other boat was close and it had teenagers jumping off the side, not paying him any attention as he watched Ian swim alongside his boat.

"Hey. Any trouble?" Mickey asked, bending down over the side of the boat.

Ian shook his head. "No, just took a little longer with so many of them."

"Well, we only have one boat close and they are preoccupied." Mickey pointed for Ian to look and he laughed a little when someone squealed loudly. "I don't think it'll be a problem."

"No, it won't. We have to travel a little over an hour to reach the entrance and I'm sure they won't follow."

Excitement rolled off him in waves, cave diving, with Ian. It was going to he amazing. Over half the sea caves were unknown by humans, left untouched and stayed beautiful and he would get a chance to see one. To see one of the places Ian liked to go. 

"Wanna lead the way?" Mickey asked, smiling when Ian did. 

"I'll swim a little ahead so you can follow me but as long as you don't steer off course you'll be right with me."

Mickey nodded and put his hand out, smiling when Ian linked it with his own. They parted reluctantly and Mickey waited for Ian to swim away before he started his boat and moved after him. 

On the water it seemed like time moved a lot faster. Mickey noticed a few islands they passed, more boats and people swimming or fishing. Ian stayed ahead of him, leading him pretty far out to open water until that's all there was around them. No more islands or boats or people, just them.

Mickey turned off the engine and let it coast closer to Ian. He smiled when Ian did, seeing the flushed look on his face from moving so fast. It was incredible, moving faster than his boat did at times. It was impressive.

"You're fast." Mickey dropped the anchor, feeling the chain tug all the way down. "Much faster than before."

Ian grinned, swimming beside the boat. "Healthier now with that tracker out. I don't feel so weighed down. Makes me faster."

"I'm glad." Mickey returned the smile before he turned away to grab his gear. "I can't tell you how excited I am for this. I've never been to one over here before."

Ian was silent as he watched Mickey take his shirt off, then his shoes until he was only wearing shorts. "Yeah, there are more than most people know about." Ian replied, glancing away for a moment only to look again. 

The entire time he wiggled into the wetsuit, Mickey could feel Ian's eyes on him. He would glance over every few minutes only to see Ian glance away, like he was trying not to look. That's the same way he looked at Ian. Stealing glances when he could, unable to stop for more than a few seconds at a time. 

"Almost ready." Mickey pulled the tanks on his back, made sure his mask was in place and sat on the edge of the boat. "You okay?"

Ian nodded, glancing away again. "Why?"

"No reason, you just seem nervous or something." Mickey made sure his knife and flashlight were on him before he slipped into the water next to Ian. "Second thoughts?"

"Of course not." Ian swam closer until their noses bumped. "Just a rough morning is all. I'm okay."

"Okay," Mickey repeated as one hand slipped around the back of Ian's neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "Lead the way."

Ian grinned, kissed him once more and slipped beneath the water. 

With the mask pulled into place, Mickey let himself sink too, making his body adjust from land and air to water. The water under them was clear, clear enough to notice a large wall of rock about fifteen feet down, the side of the cave. He smiled, saw Ian smile back as he offered his hand. 

Mickey took it, letting Ian pull him down a ways until he got back into the flow of it. His feet kicked fast as they sank lower and he couldn't believe he hadn't seen the cave from on his boat, it was literally an entire sheet of solid rock leading down to the floor. 

Beside him, Ian swam with ease. His tail moving slower than his feet, letting him keep up. Watching Ian swim was incredible, something he never wanted to stop doing. He glided through the water effortlessly, glowing like the sun followed them under. He was beautiful.

The further down they got, the darker it became until the lights on his mask came on, showing him the water in front of them. Ian reached out again for his hand and Mickey held it firmly, not wanting to let to and get flipped around. It seemed to take forever and over in the blink of an eye at the same time. The entrance was literally on the bottom of the ocean, with just enough room for them to get in.

Ian pointed up just before he swam inside and Mickey looked up, see a white shark at least 9 foot long swimming above them. Fear blasted down his spine, making bubbles float around him as he tried to breathe evenly. Ian's hand tightened and he looked over, silently asking if they should move

Ian shook his head, let go of his hand and lifted his until the tips of his fingers brushed its belly. 

Mickey's mouth would have dropped open in shock if he didn't have the breather between his lips. Ian was touching a shark, hundreds of teeth an all and the shark didn't even react. He just swam passed them, only to circle again.

This time, Ian grabbed his hand and moved it up just as the shark passed again and Mickey felt the soft skin under his fingers. It felt incredible, it felt unreal. Mickey chuckled, making bubbles surround his face, making Ian laugh. 

But this time, the shark didn't come back and Mickey let Ian pull him down to the dark mouth of the cave. Ian swam inside without hesitation, something Mickey only copied because he trusted Ian. The tanks were just small enough to let him pass without issue and swam after Ian.

The cave looked different in here, less dark and creepy with all that dark stone and open water. The insides of the rock were in shades of blue, dark near the bottom but lighter as they swam up. He let his fingers rub against the side, feeling nothing but smoothness. 

Ian's touch on his arm made him glance up, seeing his knowing smile. Mickey kicked his feet fast to keep up, still watching the wall lighten as they grew closer to the top. And within moments, or so it seemed, they breached the water together. 

Mickey lifted the mask up to rest on top of his head, already laughing with excitement. "Oh, my God." 

The inside was incredible… half of the cave was water but further back was land, like actual land with sand and everything. The cave ceiling was at least 15 feet up; giving him plenty of air, but enough water for Ian. The walls were those brilliant shades of blue, rippled out like someone spilled paint over and over again. 

"Beautiful, right?" Ian smiled, leading him towards the shore. 

Mickey nodded, setting his tanks and mask on the ground but stayed in the water with Ian. He looked at him, unable not to smile. "Holy shit, I feel so amazing right now."

Ian laughed, pulling Mickey closer. "I thought the shark might have been too much."

Another dash of fear swept over him, as it should, being low on the food chain all the way out here. "I was a little scared, trust me but it was unbelievable."

"I'm happy you like it." Ian said softly, his hands sliding around Mickey's back. "You should see your face right now."

Mickey blushed. Okay, maybe he was a little over excited, awestruck. He had been on the ocean his entire life and never felt anything as natural as what Ian just showed him, what he allowed him to feel and touch. He would never risk touching a white shark like that, nor did he even want to. But he had and he fucking loved it all. 

"Aside from meeting you, this is the best thing that's ever happened to me." Mickey kept one hand on the ground but the other around the back of Ian's neck. "And both are equally beautiful."

"I think only we would enjoy it so much." Ian eyed his lips, licking his own. "I'm happy to share it with you."

He leaned in, speaking against his lips. "I'm happy you did too, now kiss me." Mickey playfully demanded, making them both smile.

"If you insist."

Mickey groaned the moment their lips touched, feeling Ian's tongue against his lips had him opening instantly. It sent a shockwave down his body, making him hard and ready for what came next. 

Ian pushed them onto the slope of ground that lead from the water up, pressing his back against it so Ian was nearly on top of him. Mickey didn't say no, he didn't break the kiss, he only gripped Ian's bulging shoulders to keep him close. 

"Mickey." Ian whispered as he pulled back, letting their noses brush together. "I didn't mean to--"

Mickey cut him off, bringing him down for another kiss as he sat up, as Ian sat just below the water. "It's okay, I liked it." He whispered back until Ian smiled and kissed him again. "That kiss kinda made me lightheaded."

Ian chuckled. "Just the depth, I'm sure."

"No, it wasn't." Mickey said seriously, wanting more. "So, do you sit on the ground when you're here or just stay in the water?" Changing the subject seemed easier at the moment, and that question was still on his mind.

Ian moved up the slope, sitting next to Mickey on the sand, his tail was out as well, or most of it. A few feet of tail was still floating in the water. "I sit or lay down sometimes. It feels safe."

Mickey nodded, looking down the long length of his tail. "So, you don't hate land then?"

"Of course I don't hate it. Hate is a serious word for something I know almost nothing about." Ian scooted closer. "But it's different here then it is up there, we both know that."

"Yeah, we do." Mickey scooted closer too until their arms lined up. "Can't be good for you to be out of water for long anyway."

Ian shook his head. "I start to feel ill if my tail stays out too long, it gets dry and uncomfortable." 

Mickey nodded, glancing down again. This close, he could see every individual scale, layered over the next, like chainmail. The ends were tipped orange, making it seem very alive. And it went on forever. Ian's tail was twice the length of his body. 

"Do you want to touch it?" Ian asked, seeing Mickey jump.

Mickey gave a nervous laugh. "Seriously?" He glanced up, seeing a serious look on his face. "Why are you asking?"

Ian shrugged. "You said you liked it and wanted to touch it but you haven't because I didn't say you could." 

Mickey blushed. Was he really that understanding?

"And you keep looking at it." Ian gave his fin a little wiggle, making the water move. "Just thought I'd offer."

Without realizing it, Mickey was already reaching for it. His hand hovered above it as he glanced up. "Are you sure?" Ian nodded with a smile. "I don't want to do it wrong. Maybe you should help me?"

Ian put his hand on top of Mickey's. "You won't do it wrong unless you have anything sharp on you, but I don't see anything."

Mickey held his breath as Ian lowered their hands, gently laying it on top of his tail, right where his thigh might be if he had one. It almost felt like a snake, aside from it being wet, but not in any way unpleasant. Just new.

"Does it feel weird to touch it?" Mickey asked, looking up to see a dazed look on Ian's face. "Bad?"

Ian shook his head, exhaling the breath he'd been holding. "Not bad, just wasn't sure what to expect since I'm the only one who touches it."

Mickey bit his tongue to keep from saying something a little too intense. He thought it the moment Ian said it. 

"I wasn't sure what to expect either." Mickey said instead, lightly digging his fingers in just to feel if it made a difference. "But I love it."

Ian slowly led their hands down, stroking down his tail. He sucked back his gasp, making sure he didn't give anything away. "It feels good."

Mickey arched an eyebrow. "Yeah?" Ian nodded, biting his lip. "It almost feels sexual, right?" Ian's eyes widened and Mickey was relieved it hadn't been just him to think it. "Is it?"

Ian swallowed thickly. "It can be, but I guess I didn't think about that before I offered."

This really seemed like the equivalent of jerking off. No joke. It wasn't the same, but similar enough to get that vibe and apparently Ian felt it too. This was nearly the same as Ian offering to help him come, just stroking a tail instead of a cock. 

Mickey found that incredibly sexy, eager to do it again and again to see where it leads. 

"Want me to stop?" Mickey asked, but Ian moved their hands back to the upper part of his tail and slid it back down until Ian let out a soft sound. "Or maybe you want more?"

"It's probably better to stop," he replied but held Mickey's hand down when he tried to move it. "But I like it very much."

Mickey groaned, shifting his body a little until his nose bumped Ian's cheek. "You sure?" He whispered, rubbing his nose against his skin. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Ian gripped Mickey by the side of his neck, holding him close. "It doesn't, it makes it feel very good."

"I want that." Mickey kissed his cheek, then his jaw until the tips of Ian's gills brushed his ear. "Can I?"

Ian nodded, arching into his touch. "Just know that it won't go anywhere, not like humans."

Meaning Ian wouldn't come, he knew that much but it was easy to forget when they touched. They got too caught up to remember there was a species boundary. But that didn't mean he wanted to stop. 

"It's all up to you, Ian." Mickey kissed down his neck, licking the salt water from his skin. "I don't want to tease you like that."

"I want to." Ian nearly whined. "I want you."

Mickey groaned into his neck, his other hand going around Ian's back, holding him closer. "I want you so fucking bad." He sucked his neck, his body heating as Ian moaned. "Just tell me if I need to stop."

Ian nodded and took his hand from Mickey's, letting him do it. He put his hand on Mickey's leg, digging his nails in. "Mickey…"

"Shh, it's okay." Mickey kissed his neck again and again. "I got you." His hand moved down again, sliding down Ian's tail slowly, sensually. Ian gasped sharply. "I love the way you sound."

"Oh, God." Ian groaned, turning to press their heads together. "It feels good."

Mickey tilted his head so he was able to watch his hand move down Ian's tail, never stroking up against the scales, but down, over and over again. Ian's entire body moved, squirming, rubbing against him, making them both groan harder. 

"You're so beautiful, Ian." Mickey whispered as he kissed along his shoulder, then over one side of his chest. "You're fucking incredible right now."

"Your mouth…" Ian moaned, wrapping his arm around Mickey, like Mickey did to him, tugging at the suit. "Can I do the same to you? Please? I'd rather us to it together."

That alone nearly made him come. Mickey stilled his hand on Ian's tail and moved back to look at his flushed face. "You want to?"

Ian nodded, pushing against his head. "I really want to."

"Fuck," he cursed. He didn't know if this was a good idea or not, but he pulled back, meeting Ian's eyes as he unzipped the wetsuit. "You sure?"

Ian turned, his tail bending a little as he gripped both sides of Mickey's suit and helped him peel it back. "I'm very sure, Mickey. I wanted it last night, I want it now."

Mickey pulled Ian in for a kiss the second his arm was free. Their kiss was a little chaotic, need driven. Ian helped him peel the suit off until he kicked it off next to him, leaving him in only a pair of swimming shorts. 

"Are you taking off all of it?" Ian asked between kisses, one hand low on Mickey's stomach.

"Not a good idea," Mickey groaned, looking down to see his cock pushing against the shorts, giving Ian a pretty good look. "Just a little."

"I love your body, Mickey." Ian whispered, his hands moving up and down his chest, teasing him. "It does things to me…" He trailed off, pushing his head down to kiss over one shoulder. "I want to touch you all over."

Images of him laying back and Ian kissing his way down his body flashed into his mind at warp speed, sending all corresponding emotions with it. He wanted to feel it all, his mouth, his tongue, his hands moving down over him, easing that ache. He wanted Ian's head bobbing up and down his cock, moaning all around him. 

"And I want to touch you all over." Mickey replied, stealing a kiss from his mouth. "One step at a time, yeah?" Ian nodded, glancing down. "I don't suppose you've ever…?"

Ian shook his head, lying. "But you can show me what you want, just like I showed you."

"That works." Mickey kissed him again, groaning when Ian deeped it and he took that time to slip a hand onto his shorts, groaning into the kiss as he grabbed himself, pulling his cock out. "God."

Ian slid his hand down, lightly resting over Mickey's. "Just tell me how you like it and I can do it."

"Fuck, Ian." Mickey groaned from his words alone and put his hand on top of Ian's and let Ian touch him. The intense feeling was instant making his spine straighten up. "God, it's already amazing."

Ian smiled, sliding his other hand up Mickey's back. "You're very lovely, Mickey." He licked his lips as he glanced down. "I almost can't close my hand around you."

Mickey whimpered. Again this was Ian's version of sex talk and he was already breaking him down. 

"Show me." Ian urged, heads pressed together again. 

"Slow." Mickey instructed as he slid their hands down his cock, gripping tightly before he moved back up. "Fuck, that's good. Just keep a good grip and go up and down."

"You do me, I'll do you and I'm probably going to kiss you the entire time."

Mickey chuckled, moving his hand back to Ian's tail, grinning when gasped too. "I'm good with that."

They met for that kiss, their hands unsure but determined as they moved. As Mickey's hand smoothed back down Ian's tail, Ian's hand moved on his cock, making them both groan deeply. Their lips met as frantically as their hands, breaking apart to breathe and groan together, to watch. 

Mickey was obsessed with the way Ian's webbed hand looked around him, so delicate but with a grip strong enough to make him groan, to make him sweat and move against him. 

"You feel so amazing, Mickey." Ian groaned, gripping tighter as he kissed his jaw. "I can feel you pulsing and leaking into my hand."

"Fuck fuck." Mickey moaned, just as turned on by his words as he was with his hand. "I wish I could do more for you, Ian." He kept stroking, moving faster as Ian did, not caring when he could feel the skin on his palm chafing. 

"You're doing plenty." Ian groaned to make his point. "When you dig your nails in, I can feel it from my hair all the way to the tip of my tail, like a spider web, pulsing to every part of my body."

"Good, I want that for you." Mickey groaned again, trying not to fuck into Ian's fist. He was edging closer to his orgasm, like it rested just below the surface for when it was needed. "I needed this last night, I wanted it so bad. I couldn't stop thinking about it."

Ian kissed him, biting at his bottom lip. "Me too. I thought about it all night."

Before he could come, Mickey put his hand on top of Ian's, stilling it as he tried to breathe evenly. "If you keep going I'm gonna come."

Ian tried to move his hand but Mickey's grip was too tight. "That's what's supposed to happen. I know you want to." 

"I do but--" Ian cut him off, kissing him, swirling his tongue into his mouth before he pulled back and suddenly he didn't know why he wanted to stop. 

"Don't make me stop again, please?" Ian begged, moving Mickey's hand off his so he could keep moving it up and down slowly. "I want to see you this way, I want to remember it later. To replay it."

Mickey had all but abandoned stroking Ian's tail, it was too hard to focus on anything besides Ian's hand. "Okay, only because you really want to."

"Thank you." Ian kissed him quickly, moving to his neck to kiss along there as well. "I can't wait to see you again, to watch you come."

Mickey was too far gone to notice the slip when Ian said 'again.' He was too focused on the incredible feeling of Ian's hand and his mouth, pushing him closer. "I feel it."

Ian nodded, pushing a little until Mickey was laying back in the sand. He turned, moving to be able to kiss on Mickey's throat. "Just feel it Mickey, just let me make you come."

Mickey had no choice, he was only able to nod, his hand moving to the back of Ian's neck, guiding him down his chest. "Oh god, oh fuck…" He spread his legs, needing more. 

Ian moved his arm fast, sucking Mickey's skin into his mouth to kiss and nip it with his teeth, making him thrash and whine. "Maybe I should use my mouth instead?" He asked, licking his lips as he glanced down.

"Fuuckk!!" Mickey came hard, from the words alone. He pictured coming into Ian's mouth, green eyes looking up at him in that curious way. It had his body bucking, pushing into Ian's hand, gripping the back of his neck to keep him at his ribs. "Holy shit."

Ian smiled, slowly moving his hand and watched his come drip down his sides. "Can I…?" He asked shyly, glancing up to cloudy blue eyes, then down to his stomach. 

"Shit." Mickey closed his eyes, willing his body not to get hard again so fast. "You want to?" He asked, breathless, still worked up as if he hadn't come yet. 

Ian nodded, stopping his hand. "But not if you don't want me to."

"I think if you do, it'll make me hard again." Mickey chuckled but it was far from funny. He reached down, tipping Ian's chin up to find his eyes and saw come under his chin. "Looks like I got ya." He wiped it with his thumb and showed it to Ian. 

"I don't mind." Ian smiled shyly as he moved quickly, sucking Mickey's thumb into his mouth, groaning at the taste.

"Fuck Ian," Mickey fell back against the sand as he tried not to think about how Ian's tongue would feel wiggling against other parts of him. "You're gonna fuckin kill me."

Ian pulled back. "I hope not."

Mickey chuckled and Ian moved as he reached for his shorts, tugging them up enough to cover himself. "If you keep doing shit like that it's very possible." He dipped his hand into the water, then dumped it on his stomach to wash his orgasm away. "You were amazing."

Blushing, Ian looked away. "So were you. And I'm happy I could help you."

It took only a moment of silence to realize what he missed before, when Ian had been talking to him. His mind had been clouded with lust, but Ian said again. He wanted to watch him...again. 

"Holy shit." Mickey said abruptly, making Ian flinch next to him. "That was you, wasn't it?"

Ian looked away. "What was me?"

"I saw you this morning. When you said you left." Mickey tried to reply what he saw in his mind. Legs instead of a tail. "I saw you Ian, with legs."

Ian's eyes widened and he slowly inched down towards the water. "I don't know what you're talking about." He glanced to the water. "We should go."

Mickey moved with him, lightly touching his arm. "Yes, you do know what I'm talking about. I saw you, you had legs, like human legs, no tail." He glanced down at it. "How?"

"Mickey, we should really go." Ian insisted again, turning away. "I don't want to talk about this."

"I won't tell anyone Ian." Mickey insisted, catching scared green eyes. "I thought I might be going crazy when I saw it, but it was real."

"I know you won't tell anyone, but that's not why I don't want to talk about it."

"You've had them this whole time?" Mickey blasted passed what Ian said. "I'm here freakin out cuz I can't touch you like that and this whole time you've had legs."

When Ian didn't say anything, Mickey took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Trying not to be an asshole and push him. Which is what just happened and now he felt like as asshole. 

"Shit. I'm sorry." Mickey let go of Ian's arm, moving to put his wetsuit back on. "Just forget I asked, we should go."

Ian wrapped his arms around his body, not looking at Mickey anymore. "I'll take you to the boat."

"I didn't mean to be pushy." Mickey offered quietly. "I just thought I was seeing shit. And if you don't want to tell me or come around anymore, I understand."

Ian didn't look up. 

Fuck, he ruined it. Mickey wanted to kick himself because of it. He fucked up a good thing by being too damn curious. "I can find my own way, no worries."

That got Ian to look over, feeling a little shaky. "I didn't tell you because I hate it. It's not a random occurrence Mickey, mermaids don't just develop legs."

Mickey grabbed his mask, scooting over a little to give them both space. "You don't have to tell me."

Ian reached out, setting his hand on Mickey's wrist. "You're about to leave thinking you did something wrong. I was about to let you leave believing it and we would never see each other again."

Mickey looked up, actually afraid of what he said. "That's not what I want, Ian."

"Me either." Ian moved closer until his chest was nearly touching Mickey's arm. He moved his hand up to Mickey's face, stroking it lightly. "I don't want you to leave. I don't want anything between us to change over this."

"It won't." Mickey promised, cupping the side of Ian's face until his gills fluttered along his hand. "I just got a little too excited, that's all. You really don't have to tell me."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to." Ian smiled when Mickey did and kissed his hand. "But I'd rather show you, then explain."

His eyes widened. "You sure? Don't just do this because I want to. You have to want to show me."

"I want to." Ian said firmly. "I don't want us to have any secrets, and that's my biggest one but it's not an easy story to tell." His heart clenched painfully. "It's embarrassing and painful and it was a long time ago."

"Okay, then we can talk about it if you want." He pulled Ian into a kiss when he smiled. "When does this happen?"

Ian pulled back, but not away. "It happens at dawn for a few hours. It's hard to get around with no tail which is why I stayed last night. I kinda ran out of time."

Mickey knew he kept Ian too long, he could feel it. But if Ian was there the entire night, that meant he saw him jerking off. Obviously he saw him, Ian said 'again' and that meant he saw it and heard it.

"Shit," Mickey laughed a little nervously, feeling like a virgin all over again. "You weren't supposed to see that."

Ian blushed. "I probably shouldn't have invaded your privacy like that, but I couldn't look away." He remembered every single minute of it. "You said my name."

"I did," Mickey licked his lips, eyeing Ian's. "It just came out. I hope it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable."

"The opposite actually." Ian blushed again at Mickey's reaction. "I kinda...um...my legs, so…" he couldn't even say it, but Mickey knew.

"Oh, fuck." Mickey groaned, picturing Ian jerking off in the water, because of him. After watching him. "You did?" His voice was rather deep, making Ian blush again as he nodded. "Did it make you come?"

Ian shifted, his tail moving from side to side as he remembered it vividly. "I did. I thought about you, what you looked like and how you sounded…" he gasped a little, face flushed. "Saying your name made it happen pretty quickly."

"Jesus fuck," Mickey groaned and pulled Ian to his mouth, kissing the next groan from him. Ian gripped his arms, pulling him closer as he kissed him back. "I wish I could have seen it Ian." He whispered breathlessly. "I would have helped."

"I'm sure that would have made it happen faster." Ian gasped and pushed their heads together. "You looked marvelous like that, Mickey. I saw everything."

Mickey let out a desperate sounding groan as he listened to Ian recap what he saw. 

"The way you touched your body; first your chest, then over your nipples." Ian unzipped his suit to rub one of his thumbs over Mickey's nipple, making him groan. "I did it too, touching myself as you did."

This was too much. Of course Mickey knew what he did, but hearing Ian say it made it so much sexier. Add in the fact that Ian did it too, touching himself as he had, or as much as he could and it had him hard again. 

Ian pressed their lips together for a lingering kiss. "You moved down to your stomach, then your hips as the towel fell away and I could see you." He groaned. "I could see all of you, Mickey."

"Ian…" he moaned, moving closer to put his hand back on Ian's tail, picking up where he left off, softly stroking. "Wish I could have seen you, helped you, listened to you come."

That had Ian shivering a little, the soft touch to his tail made pleasure dance down the length of it. "I watched you stroke, your grip was tight and it had you spreading you legs wide open."

Mickey rubbed Ian a little harder, digging his nails in enough to make Ian groan against his mouth. "Did you keep going or just watch?"

"I did as you are." He looked down, watching Mickey's hand move. "It didn't feel nearly as good as this, but it made me feel like I was with you, making you feel that way."

Ian jerking off to him jerking off was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard of in his entire life. It went passed porn with guys pounding each other into the bed, it went passed the feeling he got from using his dildo at home or even letting one of his hook ups fuck him. This; Ian, was on an entirely different level. 

"I wish it would have been." Mickey replied and had to spread his legs again because he was hard. "Wish I could have seen the water all around you, the moonlight on your skin." He moved his hand up, where Ian's cock would normally be and added a little pressure.

"Mickey!" Ian gasped sharply, feeling light headed again. 

Moving to his neck, Mickey began to suck against his skin, biting a little as Ian moaned louder. "I would have done this, kissing you, talking to you as I made you come. Fuck, I bet your cock is big, hmm? Maybe I'd need two hands for you."

"Mickey, please," Ian panted, holding Mickey against his neck. "I have that feeling, but I can't…" He trailed off, his entire tail pulsing. "I can't come like this. I've tried."

"Maybe I can make you," he pulled back a little to see Ian's face flushed, his chest pumping quickly as he panted. "I bet I can find that one spot on your body that makes you come, even like this." His palm pressed against Ian's tail harder, his other hand moved down Ian's back. "Can I?"

Ian nodded fast. "You can try but I don't think--" his entire body spasmed as Mickey's hand moved down his lower back. "Oh, fuck." He copied Mickey's words, surprised one simple touch and that effect. "Mickey?"

Satisfaction trimmed through his body making him chuckle against Ian's jaw. "Right there, huh?" He looked back, his fingertips were on those dimples in Ian's lower back just before the scales took over. He added a little pressure and Ian's body spasmed. "Yeah, that's it."

"I've never felt that before." Ian whined, urging Mickey back to his mouth. "God, it feels so good."

Mickey nodded, biting Ian's lower lip. "Should I stop?"

Ian shook his head, holding onto the back of Mickey's neck. "Please don't. I want it."

"Good." Mickey whispered, going right back to his neck to kiss and bite. The hand on Ian's back moved in a circular motion, adding the same pressure as the hand on Ian's tail, but did them simultaneously until Ian's body started to convulse. "Come on Ian, it'll feel so good."

"Yes," he dropped his head back. "Keep going, I feel it." His voice trembled, just like his body. He added his own hand with Mickey's, pressing down harder until he did too. "Just like that."

It had Mickey groaning, panting into his neck, it had him talking, he couldn't stop it. "God, I bet you'd fuck so good Ian. Gettin in deep and goin hard cuz you're so fucking strong."

"Oohh," Ian closed his eyes, feeling it build to overwhelming levels. "Just like you did with your fingers?" He asked quickly, slightly embarrassed for asking. "I saw them going in and out of your body, making you scream."

Fuck, Ian saw him fingering himself, getting off because of it. 

"Just like that, Ian," Mickey pressed down harder, moaning as Ian did. "Come for me Ian, please. Let me watch."

"Oohh, God!" Ian felt that wave of heat and pleasure blast up his body, going from the tip of his tail, all the way to his hair. His tail tensed, his arms too, making his spine straighten just like it did when he had legs. "Mickey!"

Of course there was no actual come, but Mickey felt Ian get there, he felt that orgasm blow into his entire body until he sagged against him, panting and whining, twitching. He stopped pushing his hands down and hugged Ian closer to him, kissing over his face, petting his hair back. 

"Just breathe." Mickey coaxed, smiling as Ian's hands gripped his arm. "I gotcha Ian, just feel it."

"Feels like I can't breathe." Ian huffed, actually breathless. "Could we go into the water?" 

Mickey glanced down, worried. "Are you okay?"

Ian nodded. "Just a little in shock I think but I can't slide down." He tried to get his tail to cooperate but it wasn't having any of it. "I'm sorry."

"Nothin to be sorry for, Ian." Mickey kissed his temple and slowly wiggled them down until most of Ian's body was in the water. "Better?"

His entire body seemed to relax, soaking up the water eagerly until he didn't feel so worn out. "Much better, thank you." Ian smiled as he turned to kiss Mickey's lips. "That was just…I can't even...wow."

Mickey grinned, keeping him close as he slowly pet down his body. "You're welcome. I'm happy I could help." 

Ian turned his head, so his face was pressed into Mickey's neck. He took a deep breath, feeling it calming him almost instantly. "I never want to leave here."

Mickey hugged him closer, still brushing his hair back while he rubbed up and down his side. "It can be like this all the time Ian, not just here. All we need is you and me and we have it."

Ian nodded, kissing his throat. "If only the rest of the world thought the same." He sighed deeply, moving closer. "I wouldn't have to hide or worry about people."

"Back home, where I live," Mickey clarified. "I live right on the beach. No one would bother you there except maybe Mandy."

Ian smiled at the familiar name of the girl he saw. 

"I'm sure we could make it as safe as possible." Mickey moved back to press their faces together, stroking over Ian's cheek. "I'd do what I could to make it happen, to make it safe for you."

"I know you would, Mickey." Ian slid his hand up Mickey's bare chest once more before he zipped up the suit. "And I'm willing to try, but we have to be careful."

"We will, I promise." Mickey sealed it with a soft kiss, one that Ian deepened by gripping the back of his neck. "You make me so fucking happy it's incredible." He chuckled when Ian did. "I haven't been happy in a long time."

"Me either." Ian sat up, moving his tail a little. "We should probably get you back before your humans worry."

Mickey laughed and let Ian slide into the water as he busied himself with the tanks and his mask. "My humans have names. My brother, he's a strange lookin bastard, his name is Iggy. Quinn is a big buff guy, looks like he's made of solid rock but he's as mean as a damn teddy bear."

Ian smiled as Mickey slipped in behind him. "And the other?"

"That's Knox, the guy with a buzzed head and too many tattoos, he's been my best friend since before I can remember." Mickey kissed Ian once more before the mask got in the way. "And you should meet them, I'm sure they would like you."

Ian smiled shyly. "Really?"

Mickey nodded. "Then they can be your humans, too."

"I would like that." Ian smiled again and helped Mickey put his mask and mouthpiece on. "Remember to stay close to me, just in case. Not all sharks just let you pet them."

Mickey nodded seriously and followed Ian as he dipped back under the water. Ian held his hand the further down they got, letting him readjust like last time. But after awhile, swimming next to Ian felt natural, it felt good. By the look Ian gave him, he thought so too. 

The mouth of the cave was still creepy enough to send a chill down his spine. The insane image of a shark biting his head off the moment he stuck it out was at the front of his mind, making him hesitate. But it was just that unknown part of the ocean, that unfamiliar territory even if he had been on it his entire life. 

And just like before, Ian slipped out first, waiting for him to slip the tanks off and pass it through before he could join him on the other side and put it back on. No sharks lurking this time, the water seemed unnaturally calm, not even fish swam anywhere near them. 

The second Mickey looked up and saw another dark shadow in the shape of a boat next to his, he knew why. It had to be Noah. No one else would be bothering them all the way out there. Which meant that Noah had realized the tracker wasn't attached to Ian anymore and found them. 

This was not good. 

If they went up, Noah would see Ian. He would see them together and wonder where they had gone or why he needed scuba gear. Noah would be tempted to look for where they were, finding Ian's cave and rendering it unsafe, just like Ian was afraid of. 

Before Ian could swim up, Mickey grabbed his hand, making him look down, his beautiful face now a mask of confusion. He pointed up, waiting for Ian to follow and realize they were no longer alone and green eyes widened as Ian sank lower, afraid.

Even though he couldn't talk, Mickey could still communicate. He held Ian's hand in his own, bringing him up enough to rest against his chest and stroked his hair back. Ian was shaking, trembling and gripping his back so hard Mickey was sure the wetsuit ripped. 

When he pulled back, he let their heads rest together. Mickey pointed to Ian's chest, then down to the cave, making sure Ian understood that he wanted him to go back. To not follow him up. 

Ian shook his head, in distress. Mouthing words Mickey couldn't understand. His hands animated, pointing up, then down, back at him and to his own chest. Ian didn't want to go up, but he didn't want to leave him either. 

But going alone was the only way.

Grabbing Ian's hands, Mickey put them to his chest, right above his heart and it had Ian stilling, staring at him with worried eyes. Mickey pointed again, telling him one more time to stay, that it was okay and he could handle it. 

Ian pulled him in close, hugging him. Mickey hugged him back tightly, letting Ian pull away. Mickey touched his face and his hair, wanting to kiss him but he couldn't so Ian kissed the mask softly and started to sink. 

Mickey waited until Ian was inside the mouth of the cave before he swam back up, thankful that he still had his knife in case he needed it. From the rock of the boats, he could tell that Noah or his men had boarded his own, probably looking for signs of Ian. 

On the water, that was enough to get you shot. 

Quietly, Mickey breached the water and let his mask slide around his neck. He reached down, gripping the blade firmly in his hand and he glanced around. 

Chatter from above was muffled but angry. Mickey could hear them stomping, searching his boat. Noah was barking orders at them, getting angry. Blaming them for his mistakes. Just like a poor leader would do. 

"Wilcox, in the water."

Mickey rolled his eyes as goon #1 spotted him. There was no safe way to get on his boat yet because he spotted a few guns amongst the men and knew Noah's morals were as fucked up as he feared them to be. 

"Get the fuck off my boat." Mickey snapped, treading water and hoped to god nothing but Ian pulled him under.

"Bitch move there, Mick," Noah smiled and put one foot on the side of the boat. "Finding my tracker, making me go on a little goose chase. It was ballsy."

Mickey smiled back. "Good to know at least one of us has a set." He wanted to laugh at Noah's glare but the gun in his right hand made him hesitate. "Sorry to say but he's long gone. Not gonna find him on my boat, or by following me when I decide to swim."

Noah tilted his head, studying the tanks. "Two tanks, huh? Must be quite a dive there." His eyes searched the water. "He must be close."

Mickey shook his head, making sure to give nothing away. "He's not."

"Well, we might need to take a dive and see for ourselves."

Noah was baiting him again, hoping he would tell him not to go, confirming that Ian was under there. "Go ahead, I'm done for the day. Just get off my shit and leave."

Noah straightened up, tossing Mickey's keys in his hands. "I bet we wouldn't stand a chance against him in the water, too quick, able to breathe and we can't. Maybe I'll just take your boat for a little ride, whatcha think?"

Mickey clenched his jaw. "I think my crew would notice me gone all fuckin day and send the coast guard."

"Not if I check your boat into the marina." Noah grinned, spinning the gun around his finger. "Iggy would take a good look at it and assume you went off with my mermaid."

"He will never be yours, Noah." Mickey growled, feeling all too territorial.

"He might be if I leave your ass out here." He tossed the keys behind him, knowing they'd be caught and a few moments later, it started. "I bet you'll drown first, get tired and sink. Or maybe one of the sharks I saw will nab you."

"A bitch move like that won't work. I'm stronger than you and I know I'll will make it." He smiled, even if that fear was there, warning him he would be stuck in the middle of the ocean without a boat. "Just remember payback's a bitch. So, when I get back and find you, this little game you started goes up a notch."

Noah clenched his teeth, gripping the gun tightly. "Let's up the stakes." He fired a shot in the water.

Mickey was pulled under as they opened fire, looking down to see Ian holding his leg. He knew Noah wouldn't shoot him, but he was trying to scare him and Ian was far too close to the boat. 

He kicked his leg free, telling Ian that it was okay and slipped off the tanks to float beside him before a bullet clipped one and blew his ass up, then emerged from the water and the gunfire stopped. 

"Pussy." Mickey smiled, watching it piss Noah off even more. "That the best you got?"

Noah shook his head and gripped the knife that was handed to him. "Nope, not even close." He threw it hard, puncturing the side of the tank until it bounced around the water.

Mickey swam away, not wanting to get hit and watched all the air from both tanks vanish. No more diving. "I can't wait until I make it out of this shit. I'm gonna sink that pretty boat and piss on it while it sinks to the bottom."

Motion below let Mickey know that Ian was still close, willing to pull him back under, out of the way if necessary. He made no move to show Noah that something was up, nothing but eye contact.

"If you make it." Noah whistled and two of his men came up beside him carrying a big bucket. "But you might have a shark problem real soon."

Mickey didn't have time to move, or time to signal Ian to pull him down before that entire bucket fell on him, covering him in chum. Blood and fish guts, chunks of meat falling on him, sinking into the water. 

Sharks would swarm there in a matter of minutes, which is what Noah wanted. "You piece of shit!!" Mickey yelled but both boats were already being pulled away with Noah laughing on the back.

"Mick, we have to go." Ian said fearfully, making sure to hide behind him. "We don't have much time."

Mickey looked away from the boats to see absolute fear on Ian's face. "Go where. I have no boat, my tanks are gone and we are fucked!" He yelled, panicking. 

"The cave is our only chance." Ian looked below, seeing swift movement. "Hold your breath, I'll pull you as fast as I can."

Mickey shook his head, looking around to see only water. No land. "I will run out before we make the trip up."

Ian grabbed his face. "I can breathe underwater, Mickey. I can give you enough air to make it back inside. But we have to go."

There was no other choice. Mickey took a deep breath, kept his knife close to his chest and let Ian drag him under by a firm grip on his wrist. The water was too bloody to see through. Only chunks of fish and fast movement on the other side of the cloud of blood; sharks.

Ian pulled him as fast as possible but they were already out of time. His chest started to ache halfway to the cave, losing air. Sharks swam around them, zipping in and out of the blood pool, circling them like animals. 

Suddenly, they weren't swimming anymore and Ian was pressing his mouth against his, breathing clean, fresh air in. His body greedily absorbed it, closing his mouth as Ian moved away, gripping him again as they swam to the entrance.

Fast movement above made him turn, there was a shark coming right at them, eyes focused on them, its food. With the scent of blood in the water and targets in sight, it wouldn't back down. Mickey moved his knife from side to side, trying to get it to back off. It didn't. It swam faster and he managed to slice the tip of its nose before he reared back and swam away. 

Mickey was being shoved into the entrance just as an entire group of sharks rushed them, slamming against the side hard enough to make the entire cave shake. They wouldn't be able to get in, the opening was too narrow, but he was running out of air again as Ian was pulling him up. 

With a firm grip, Mickey managed to get Ian to slow down, pointing at his mouth until Ian realized what he needed and did a repeat of the air exchange, breathing air into his mouth long enough to get his body to relax. Mickey nodded, cupping Ian's face for a minute before he helped kick himself all the way to the surface deep within the cave.

They popped out of the water, Mickey taking breath after deep breath, trying to let his body know that he was okay. He even let Ian pull him up to the sand where they'd been about half an hour ago. 

"Are you okay?" Ian asked, cupping Mickey's face.

"I'm okay," he panted, feeling his body weaken from the adrenaline, fear and lack of air. "Just worked up, tired and fuckin mad. That asshole!!" He screamed, holding onto Ian as he flinched, as he tried not to freak out. 

"What do we do?" Ian asked, making sure Mickey didn't get bitten anywhere. "The sharks can't get in but we can't go out. Or you can't. Im faster than them."

"We wait until it clears, then you have to go."

Ian shook his head, fear all over his face. "I can't leave you here."

This time, Mickey cupped his face, trying to calm him enough to hear him, to break through the fear and actually listen to the words. "Ian, you just said we can't leave. I can't. But you're faster, you can swim back and get help."

A new wave of fear came fast that had everything to do with humans. "Who? I can't just pop up and tell someone."

That made Mickey smile, helping him calm down enough to stroke Ian's face. "My humans Ian, you have to find them. Either at the marina by my boat or at the house. They won't hurt you."

Ian took a shuddering breath. "I'm scared, Mickey."

"I know." He whispered, breathing passed his heartbeat to kiss Ian's trembling lips, not telling him how afraid he was, for both of them. "But you have to. We don't have any other way."

Ian nodded. "I know." He kissed Mickey again, and again and again until he was breathless. "I'm not waiting for the sharks to back off, it'll take hours and if my legs come back, we are both in trouble."

Mickey handed him the knife, making Ian wrap his hand around it and squeeze. "Take it, use it if you need to. Humans or sharks or whoever. You can do this."

Ian nodded even when the feel of the knife made him want to vomit. "I'll be as quick as I can, I promise."

The kiss they shared was full of worry and fear, hopelessness. But under that, there was trust, love. Mickey knew Ian would come back, with or without the help and they would figure it out. But that didn't make the fear any less real, if anything it made him more afraid. Ian could get hurt or captured. Noah could grab him and no one else would know where he was and he would die. Ian would die. 

"I believe you, Ian," Mickey whispered and pulled back. "Be careful, don't let him get you."

Ian sank into the water, crying as he held the knife in a firm grip. "I promise."


	9. Bait

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 9- Bait

(Ian's POV)

It felt like hours had passed since he left the cave, since he left Mickey. Alone and nearly a hundred miles underwater, with no one knowing where he was. With no way to get out if anything happened to him. 

It didn't matter how hard he fought the swarm of sharks, shedding more blood then he did with that tracker, it didn't matter how hard and fast he swam, until his tail ached and screamed for a break, until he was panting from over exertion, it still wasn't fast enough. 

The only good thing that happened, or didn't happen, was he didn't run into Noah or any other human issues. Aside from a shark face off and getting caught in fishing line, which he had to use Mickey's knife to get out of, he had no problems swimming back. 

Only now, he didn't know what to do. Mickey's boat was parked in the marina just like it had been last night. No signs of Noah or his gun toting humans, but no signs of Mickey's humans either. No one familiar enough for him to risk his safety, not to mention Mickey's if the wrong person saw him and decided they wanted a mermaid too. 

For what seemed like hours, Ian stayed at the marina, circling Mickey's boat like a shark, waiting. Peeking up every now and then to scan the humans lingering around, searching for the right humans but found nothing. 

He couldn't wait forever. Every second he was there, Mickey was alone, probably scared even if he didn't openly admit to it. It had Ian on edge just thinking about it, it had him irritated and vengeful. It made him want to find Noah, drag him down to the deepest cave and leave him there. 

With nothing else to do, Ian swam away from the marina, feeling at least one shark slowly trailing behind him, following the steady flow of blood from various wounds all over him. It was nothing to be concerned over, the wounds or the sharks because as long as they stayed a certain distance away, he was fine. 

Compared to this morning, Mickey's human house had less boat traffic at this time of day. Ian only had to circle one or two before he was in the clear, making sure to stay as far down as he could so the light wouldn't reflect off the water and onto his tail, making him a beacon in the water, a target. 

And unlike this morning, when it was quiet and peaceful, the house was no longer empty. Ian could see at least two people moving from inside, maybe a third but he was having a hard time sensing that one. These had to be Mickey's humans, or Noah...both of which Ian was not ready to see. The knife gripped tightly in his hand proved that. He was willing to do as Mickey said, to use it on humans or sharks or whatever stood in his way. 

The end of the dock didn't allow him to see much, nor hear the humans talking and even with that fear he felt since he left the cave, Ian swam closer, getting to the spot he was last night as he watched Mickey. It allowed him to see two of Mickey's humans moving around inside. 

Ian let out a deep breath, feeling a little hopeful now that he knew these weren't Noah's guys. Now he could signal them, tell them about Mickey and Noah and get back as soon as possible, night was getting closer, making this entire thing that much more dangerous. 

But how did he signal the humans? Mickey always seemed to know he was around, either he expected him or he could feel him out, but Ian didn't have that connection with these humans. He would have to signal them a different way. 

The water was probably the easiest way to make himself known. Ian set the knife down on the deck, swam back far enough away and created a big tide pool as he swam in a circle, making the water rise and thrash against the deck and the side of the house. He stopped abruptly, the wave hit his tail just the right way for all that water to go sailing against one window. 

Ian quickly grabbed the knife, squeezing it hard as he kept it close to his chest and waited. It took less than five seconds for them to appear. All three of them and Ian was sure these were the right humans, even if he never got a good look at them before. 

"Holy shit!!"

Ian didn't react, he didn't flinch or bat an eye as they stared at him with large eyes and open mouths, clearly in shock. He was too eager to get back, too afraid to hesitate. If he did, something bad could happen. 

"I need your help." Ian said deeply, looking from one to the other to the next and back again. "Can I trust you?"

They didn't speak for a moment, clearly trying to figure out if this was real. Ian watched them glance at each other, confirming he was really there and how to react to it. 

"You three are Mickey's humans, correct?" Ian asked when they still hadn't said anything. 

They nodded at the same time and it took him a second to realize that they were under the same pull Mickey had been. Only they weren't as strong willed, so they didn't or couldn't fight it. They each took a step forward, closer to him and the edge of the dock.

Ian put his tail under the water and sent it sailing back up, hitting them all right in the face. They coughed and swatted at the water, blinking passed the confusion and gaining back whatever self will they had.

"Are you Mickey's humans?" Ian asked again, jaw clenched tightly.

"Yes, we are." Iggy's eyes widened. "You're Ian?"

"I am." Ian answered curtly. "And I need your help."

"Where's Mickey?" Knox asked, taking a step forward.

They all eyed the knife in his hands, clearly recognizing it as Mickey's and he could feel them on edge now, weary of him. As well they should be. Their eyes moved over his body, seeing the cuts and scrapes and blood, as well as the circling sharks around him, only adding to the strangeness of all this.

"Mickey and I went out earlier this morning," he waited until they nodded, confirming that Mickey told them. "We went into the water and when we came back up Noah was there."

"That motherfucker!" Iggy hissed, balling his fists up. "Where is Mickey? His boat is at the marina."

Ian nodded, relaxing enough to lower the knife but not release it. "They were on his boat, searching for me. They punctured his tanks and dumped an entire bucket of blood on him and took his boat."

The look on their faces was comforting enough to let his shoulders relax. Their looks of worry changed to anger, murderous looks, just like what boiled inside him. Ian knew nothing of these humans, only that he knew he could trust them.

"I managed to get him inside a cave before the swarm of sharks took over but it's too far for him to swim back here and this is the closest island." Ian continued to explain, feeling his voice shake a little as he retold what happened, making his anxiousness sky rocket. "I need your help. We need to get him out."

"If you can lead us there, we can get him out." Iggy stepped up, bending a little to see eye to eye with him. "Is he hurt?"

Ian shook his head. "No, not that I saw. But the darker it gets the more the danger, so we need to go."

"If Mick's boat is at the marina, we can take it back to get him. Can you meet us there?" Knox asked, the anger boiling right under his skin so his voice was a little deeper than normal. "I swear to god I'm going to kill that fucking prick."

"I'll call Mandy on the way, she can tell us where Noah's boat is so we can take care of it when we get back." Quinn took his phone out and walked away.

"Yes." Ian spoke up, getting their attention again. "I can take you back and meet you at the marina. But he needs another tank to bring him up. It's way too far for me to try again, especially with all the shark activity."

Iggy nodded. "We can get one. How deep is it?"

"About eighty-five feet down," Ian watched blue eyes widen and he realized that this was Mickey's brother, whose name he couldn't remember at the moment. "Just get it and meet me at the marina, okay?"

They nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait." Ian called out, moving closer so they didn't have to backtrack. "Do you have any guns?"

Iggy's eyes widened again. "Not at the moment but we do have access. Why?"

"Because Noah does, his men too and they made that perfectly clear when they shot at us in the water." Ian was growling. He only noticed because the humans backed up, looking a little worried. "If you have them, bring them. I'll be waiting."

With that, Ian dove back into the water and made his way back around to the marina. It didn't take as long as it did before because that fatigue he felt was replaced with new energy, adrenaline. The need to get Mickey out and safe, to get back at Noah. 

Hurting humans was not high on his list of life choices. Ian only wanted to avoid them as much as possible and go about his business. Until Mickey. He wanted everything to do with that specific human and now he wanted to hurt the ones who did this, who hurt him and trapped Mickey. Ian wanted them to feel afraid, to worry about their lives and their loved ones. He wanted them hopeless and frantic, scared. He wanted to hurt them and he hated that feeling. 

It wasn't who he was, or it was the one thing he never wanted to be. He didn't want to be as cruel as humans could be, heartless and unforgiving but they tried to hurt Mickey and that changed everything for him. It had dark thoughts crossing his mind, ones that would haunt him after. 

When he made it back to the marina, it was hard to focus on anything aside from revenge. But one look at Mickey's boat brought back all the images and memories  
Of them and each other and how he felt when they touched. It chased back the dark thoughts, making him feel a little sick for thinking them in the first place. He felt guilty and afraid, he felt alone. 

At the sound of Mickey's humans talking in the distance, Ian felt himself relax just long enough for a net to be tossed over his entire body. Panic built up fast, making him cling to the outside of the boat, trying to look around, trying to get out.

"I knew I'd find you."

Noah. Not Mickey's humans like he thought, but Noah. Ian glanced up, the net sliding painfully across his face and saw Noah on the boat above him, he'd been hiding there. Waiting for him.

"I hope this means Mickey didn't make it." Noah smiled, tightening the net.

Ian clenched his teeth at the man sneering down at him. He sat still, no longer trying to get away because he needed Noah's guard down if he was going to get out of this. He couldn't rely on Mickey's humans, because for all he knew, they set him up. Told Noah he would be coming back, allowing him to be captured. If that was the case, he might never trust another human again. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" Knox barked, stepping onto Mickey's boat. 

Ian glanced up, barely close enough to the top of the boat to see the human Mickey described as his best friend. He looked angry, not happy, not relishing in his capture. 

"I'm capturing my mermaid Knox, just like I said I would." Noah smiled, his gun strapped to his hip. "Surprised to see you."

"Tell us what you did with Mickey, right now." Knox clenched the gun already in his hand, aiming it low on Noah's body. "I will shoot you, don't think I won't."

Ian took a deep breath, he wasn't as alone as he thought. Mickey's humans weren't after him, but helping him. Now he needed to get himself out of this all the same, even if it was just to prove to all the humans around that he could, to prove that he wasn't helpless. 

"I have no idea where Mickey is, Knox," Noah smirked, hand up as his foot kept the net from releasing. 

"Let him go." Iggy stepped up, eyes on the net. "Right now."

Noah shook his head. "Or what?"

Ian was able to wiggle his arm through one of the many holes in the net and transferred the knife through until he was holding it tightly. He moved quickly, using his other hand to pull himself up just as he sliced the back of Noah's thigh with the knife, making him fall to grab it as it bled, putting Noah right next to him.

"Ian don't." Iggy warned as he stepped forward, eyes a little wide.

Ian had his arm around Noah's neck as he dangled from the net above the water. Mickey's knife was pressed against the soft skin of Noah's throat, and all it would take to end this, to put a stop to all his fear, would be one quick movement.

"He deserves it." Ian growled, satisfied that Noah was panting, worried and afraid, like Mickey was. He tightened his grip, glancing from Mickey's humans to Noah. "He tried to kill him."

Iggy nodded, stepping forward slowly with his hands up so Ian could see them. "I get that Ian, but you can't just kill him."

"Why not?" He barked, making Noah whimper as he continued to bleed out. "He kills my kind, my friends and family. Stabbed me, put a tracker on me, shot at Mickey!" He screamed that last part, making everyone jump. "Why does he get to do all that and I don't?"

Knox took a step closer as Iggy did, bending to talk to him. "Because he is a monster, Ian, and you're not. As much as you want to, you'd regret it after."

That much was true, Ian could already feel it. His actions made him sick, threatening humans of any kind didn't sit well, even if they deserved it. But Mickey needed him to be strong, he needed him to be okay and Noah was only a problem that would keep coming back if they didn't handle him now. 

"He practically fed him to the sharks without knowing I was there." Ian said as bluntly as possible, making sure they understood. "Had I not been there, Mickey would have died."

Iggy and Knox didn't speak, Noah didn't move and Ian just watched them all take in the gravity of the situation. The truth. That Noah planned to kill Mickey today. 

"The only reason he isn't dead, is because we have to get back to Mickey." Ian hissed shoving Noah forward for them to catch, handling him roughly as he gimped on one leg. "But if I get back and anything has happened to him...anything, I will kill him." Ian warned, his voice deep like he'd never heard it before. 

"If anything happened to my brother, you can count on us helping you." Iggy jerked Noah around and tossed him on the pier to where Quinn was standing. 

Ian nodded, taking a deep breath as he sank back into the water, watching as the net sank to the bottom, then as the blood was washed away from the knife in his hands. The water was calm, quiet, allowing him to let all that anger leave until it was the right time to feel it. 

When he came back up, there were other humans on the pier, talking to Mickey's humans, to Noah. It looked like they were fixing up his leg, and trying to figure out what happened. But he didn't care if Noah got patched up or what the other humans had to say, they needed to go get Mickey.

Ian gripped the top of the boat, splashing his tail a little to get their attention, but it wasn't working. They were in a heated argument, fighting and pointing, glaring at Noah and Ian didn't want the others to see him.

"Stupid humans." Ian huffed, waving a little but no one looked his way. He still couldn't remember Mickey's brothers name, Izzy maybe or something with an I, so he couldn't call it out. "Shit."

Making as little noise as possible, Ian went back into the water, all the way to the bottom to grab a handful of rocks before coming back up. He took one and threw it over, it landed without a sound, making him groan. So, he threw another one, a bigger one and it hit Mickey's brother right on the side of his face.

Ian stifled a laugh as he turned, blue eyes searching. He waved a little before sinking down, hiding from the others until he walked over, bending down to him again. 

"We need to leave. Now." Ian turned to see the sun setting quickly, darkness would just complicate all of it. "Get them to leave and we need to go."

The human never even blinked. Blue eyes just stared at him, his mouth open a little. It happened again, the human decided to give in and follow that feeling instead of fighting it as Mickey had. Ian closed his eyes for a split second before the human was falling off the boat and into the water. 

There was no time to move, he fell right on top of him and Ian reached out, catching him just before his face went under. "Stupid human!" Ian yelled, shaking him a little. He could hear boots coming closer before the others rushed over. 

"What happened?" Knox asked, laughing a little.

Ian shook him again, watching blue eyes slowly coming back to himself before the confusion hit and he was being pushed away. "Calm down."

Iggy swam back, eyes wide. "You calm down! Why the fuck am I in the water?"

Knox laughed, holding his stomach. "Did you seriously just walk off the boat?"

Ian smiled. "He did actually, it's a long story but there is a reason." What he said made no difference as Mickey's brother kept glaring at him. "It happened to Mickey too but he was able to fight it, unlike you."

Iggy pushed an armful of water towards him. "Keep all that spooky mermaid shit to yourself. The last thing I need is to be walkin off boats." 

"Well if humans were stronger it wouldn't happen." Ian snapped back, pushing him back a little when a wave brought him closer. "Now get out and lets go. We wasted enough time already."

Iggy slapped his hands away, making Knox laugh above them. "Shut up and get me outta here."

"Wait until I tell Mickey you were slapping his mermaid Iggy." Knox busted out laughing, dropping Iggy back into the water because of it. "Fuck me, that sounds so fucking wrong."

Ian laughed. He actually laughed because Iggy, Mickey's brother, just glared at them all and slapped their hands away as he pulled himself up the side without help. Maybe these humans weren't so bad after all. 

"You guys are a bunch of assholes." Iggy shook off the water as he stomped away. "Hurry and bring the anchor up so we can go."

The big one; Knox, if Ian remembered it right, stayed where he was, smiling a little at him. Ian tilted his head, trying to figure it out when he spoke.

"So, you're Mickey's mermaid, huh?"

Ian smiled proudly, happy to be Mickey's. "I am, and my name is Ian. You three must be his humans."

Knox laughed. "Yes, we are. I'm Knox, that asshole in the water was Iggy of course and Quinn is the big guy behind me. You ready to go get Mickey now?"

The smile slipped into something a little darker, losing the light conversation, but Ian nodded. "I'll swim ahead so keep a lookout for me. It's about an hour away."

Knox stood, nodding. "As long as I can see you we can keep up."

No other words were needed. Ian kept the knife in his hand and swam under the other boats until he was clear and waited for Knox to follow. He did, quickly and smoothly. Ian didn't have to slow down either, he swam as fast as he could along the top of the water so they could see him.

The entire time, he couldn't believe he was trusting humans, of any kind. He was leading them to Mickey, to his cave where he went to get away from people. He trusted them with this, with Mickey. He trusted them enough to talk to them and ask for help, to not capture him. 

Not to mention they tried to help him with Noah, even when it wasn't needed. They were willing to face off against another human for him; a mermaid. That was something he never expected from anyone aside from Mickey. It didn't change his mind about humans in general, but it allowed him to be more open if the time came for such things. 

By the time Ian slowed as they neared the entrance blow, the sun had fully set, leaving them shrouded in darkness until the boat floated up, lights shining brightly. 

"Is this it?" Iggy asked, looking around at nothing.

"Yes, the cave is directly below us about eighty-five feet down." Ian could feel the unease under him, meaning the area was still unsafe. Sharks liked to feed at night and they were the only thing big enough for miles. "Pass me what he needs and I'll go get him."

Iggy shook his head. "No, one stays here with the boat and the rest go."

"No," Ian said firmly, holding on to the edge of the boat as the harsh waves rocked against his body. "I'm faster than you, I can see in the dark and I know exactly where it is. Anything else is just wasting time."

"There is no way you're going alone." Iggy argued back, sliding the tank to the edge of the boat. "One of us is coming too."

When Ian growled, all three of them took a step back, just as he wanted them to. "Do you know nothing of what comes out after dark to hunt?" He asked and pointed to the fin of a passing shark right next to him. "Sharks hunt better at night, they are faster and meaner and after that blood in the water today…" He paused, seeing all eyes widen. "Just trust me when I say you don't want me to count how many I see below me."

Knox was the first to get his shit together and grabbed the tank from Iggy, noting how he didn't fight him this time. "Can you make sure he'll get up here safely?"

Ian shook his head, knowing that the blood from his wounds were already stirring up the sharks below. "I don't make promises I can't keep. But I will do everything to bring him back."

Knox nodded and slid the tank into the water with the mask and mouthpiece connected to it. "With you bleeding like that, they are gonna follow you."

Ian nodded as he put the strap around his shoulders so it settled on his back. "I'll be quicker going down because I'll be alone. But he will be coming up without me."

Iggy shook his head. "You can't just leave him."

"If I swim away, blood and all, they majority of the sharks will follow me." Ian explained calmly, trying not to snap at them again for delaying him. "He can make a break for the top while I distract them."

"It's a good plan, Iggy." Quinn spoke up, making sure turn the lights under the boat on so Mickey would have something to swim to. "You know it is."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." Iggy snapped back, rubbing over his face. "Fine, do what you need to do but just a heads up, Mick is gonna have the same problem with this as I did."

Ian knew Mickey would have an issue with it, he didn't need someone else telling him. But he also knew that Mickey would understand the choice and trust him to come back. Just like when Mickey told him to go, knowing he would be back with help. Mickey would see that this was the safest way for him. 

A shark nosing at his arm pulled Ian out of his mind for the moment. He pushed the shark away, barely noticing Knox laughing and glanced up at Iggy. "Trust me, my human will accept that this is the best way."

Iggy rolled his eyes. "He was our human first."

"Yeah, and now he's mine." Ian smiled and left them to go get his human, his Mickey. 

**

(Mickey's POV)

You know that feeling when you're deep underwater and you can see the surface above you, and the breath is leaving your lungs and no matter how hard you try, it takes forever to reach the top? 

That's what Mickey felt like when Ian left. It felt like he was drowning, the surface only inches above him and yet he couldn't reach it. It was panic, it was fear. It felt like the entire weight of the ocean was on his chest and the only thing he could do was sit there and let it happen. 

But it wasn't real. Mickey wasn't drowning, he wasn't dying. From drowning or otherwise. But the wait was killing him. Ian being alone was making him nervous, anxious. What if the sharks had been too aggressive? What if Ian got tangled in a net? What if Noah captured him before he could tell anyone? 

His own mind was killing him and there wasn't much he could do to distract himself. Mickey paced until his feet hurt, he peeled off his wetsuit when it became too itchy, too confining. He even held his breath and swam to the mouth of the cave, coughing water from his lungs before he made it back to the top, just to see if he could see anything.

Sleeping didn't work, he couldn't relax enough. So he sat against the other wall of the cave, dug his feet into the sand and waited. It took him longer than he cared to admit, but he noticed the pile of pearls close to the wall, then the pile of shells, a few coins that looked as if they'd been underwater for decades. 

Ian's treasures.

The thought made him smile. It made him remember when Ian gave him his pearl and that little pink shell. And Ian's face when he gave him that one coin, green eyes sparkled like emeralds and Ian acted as if it was the best thing in the world. 

Ian was the best thing in the world. 

Better than pearls and shells, better than all the treasures in the sea. 

The sad part was, that this cave, Ian's hide out was gone. They could no longer come back. It wasn't safe now that Noah knew where they'd been, even if he never found the cave. Risking it was too dangerous. 

Without a second thought, Mickey scooped up all of Ian's treasures and put them into the zipper pockets of his shorts. That way Ian would have them, maybe it would make him feel more comfortable when he found a new spot. It wouldn't hurt, and Mickey didn't like the idea of Noah getting his hands on anything Ian valued. 

"Please be okay." Mickey whispered to himself, or to whoever might be listening. 

He stood up, choosing to pace again rather than just sit there. His toes barely grazed the shore when he noticed the water shifting. Mickey backed up quickly, not knowing if it could be sharks, or Noah or Ian. 

When red hair came into view, Mickey let out the biggest sigh of relief, feeling his heart pound and his eyes water. Ian was okay. Ian was alive, he was back. Ian came for him.

Mickey didn't even wait for Ian to set the tank down on the sand before he jumped forward, only inches away from Ian's body. Strong arms caught him, lowering him into the water, against his body.

"You're here." Mickey's voice trembled as their heads rested together. His hands gripped Ian's face, shaky and uncertain as he thumbed over his jaw. "You're okay."

Ian smiled, his arms wrapped tightly around Mickey's body, holding him as close as possible. "I'm okay, are you?" 

Mickey nodded, finally taking that deep breath he needed since Ian left. "I'm better now."

Ian swam forward, closer to the sand and eyed Mickey's lips hungrily. "Much better."

Mickey pulled him into a deep, demanding, all consuming kiss. A 'we are about to die' kiss, a 'it's been years' kiss. One that he felt deep into his bones, one that touched his heart. And he didn't let up, he gripped Ian's face, angling it as he swirled his tongue against his, eager for more. 

It wasn't until his back was being pressed against the sand that he realized Ian backed them out of the water, making him lay down so he could crawl between his legs. Mickey groaned when Ian rubbed between his legs, forcing him to deepen the kiss. 

"Ian." Mickey moaned between kisses and he finally let his legs wrap around Ian's hips, hugging him flush again his body. "Ian." He whispered again, unsure of what to say after all they'd been through, but of course Ian already knew.

"I know ,Mickey." Ian rubbed their noses together, brushing dark hair back to see his face clearly. "It's okay, I've got you."

Mickey nodded, shaking below him. Maybe it was fear or need or something he couldn't put a name to. But he needed it. His hands moved down Ian's neck, then his chest until he could feel how fast his heart was beating. Then lower to his stomach, over the smooth curve of his sides until the tips of his fingers pressed into Ian's lower back, making Ian groan harshly against his mouth.

"Mickey, please." Ian begged, rocking forward a little until the front of his tail pushed into Mickey's groin, sending flashes of heat down his body. "I was afraid I would be too late."

"I know." Mickey fell back to the sand as a hard push forced him to lay back, but kept putting pressure on Ian's back. "I thought something happened to you."

Their worry and affection for each other was evenly matched. And even though they used the words to express it, they didn't need to. They could both feel the others worry. It was in their eyes as they stared at each other, it was in the way their bodies trembled, the way they moved together like it might never happen again. 

"I need you, Mickey." Ian moaned against his mouth, fisting both sides of his hair as his arms framed Mickey's face. "Please."

"I need you, too." Mickey moaned, adding more pressure to his back, digging his nails in until Ian hissed. "I don't want you to leave again, I don't like it."

The faster movement had Ian growling, feeling Mickey tremble because of it as he pushed against his cock, hard and trapped between them. "I'm never leaving without you again, Mickey. I promise."

"Fuck, right there." Mickey gasped, looking between them to watch the roll of Ian's body, to feel the sharp scales scrape his thighs. "Want you to come with me, please."

"You got me close." Ian shut his eyes, feeling that wave of heat soak into his tail, up his spine. "Just a little harder."

Mickey kept gasping sharply, literally on the edge as he dug his nails into Ian's skin, feeling the way he moved faster and harder because of it. "Gotta come for me Ian, please." He begged, bending a little to talk against his lips. "I can't stop."

"You don't have to." Ian growled. "Oh God….now, right now!!"

Mickey waited until Ian's body started to shake before he gave into the crushing weight of his orgasm. Letting him blow over him, making his body tremble and buck, arching up for those lingering touches. "Fuck." He whispered and pulled Ian the rest of the way to kiss him.

Ian groaned into his mouth, gripping his hair tightly and rolled to the side until Mickey was on top of him. Ian released his hair to grip his body, feeling every muscle tense and move, he swallowed every gasp until they broke apart for air. 

"This is new." Mickey chuckled a little as he sat back, fully seated on Ian's lap. But his smile slipped the moment he got a good look at Ian's chest, the scrapes and cuts that extended past his chest to his arms, his hands looked like someone stuffed them through a meat grinder. "Jesus Christ, what happened?"

"Sharks are rather aggressive during a feeding frenzy." Ian sat still and let Mickey look at him. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"The fuck it's not." Mickey countered back, eyes up to realize that Ian's lip was split and he had several cuts across his face. "Shit, I'm sorry, Ian. I should have looked first." He made a move to get off of him but Ian sat up and held those strong arms around him.

"Don't move, please? I rather like you this way." Ian rubbed his back, leaning forward enough to kiss across Mickey's chest. "And I'm fine. I promise. It doesn't even hurt."

Mickey knew he wasn't lying, he never did, even when it would have been easier. Just as he chose not to lie to Ian in return. What they had was special, there were no room for lies. 

"There are so many." Mickey tilted Ian's face to examine a few and relaxed as he saw mostly surface wounds, small scrapes that barely broke the skin. "But they don't look very deep."

Ian smiled, laying back again, letting his hands settle on Mickey's thighs. "They aren't, just scrapes. Most of them just rubbed against me the wrong way, makes their skin sharp."

"Nothing else happened, right?" Mickey asked, watching a million emotions flow across Ian's face including fear and anger. "Ian?"

"A lot happened while I was gone and I will tell you. But your humans are waiting for us and I fear they may get into the water if we take too long."

"They would." Mickey huffed, irritated that they had to wait to talk about whatever made Ian angry. "Sharks gone then?"

"No," Ian sat up, once again wrapping Mickey up in his arms. "It's dark now so it's worse than before, and I have a plan to get you safely to the boat. But you won't like it."

Mickey narrowed his eyes, that entire speech was ominous. "Why won't I like it?"

"I'll tell you, but you must promise me you will agree. Right now, before I tell you." Ian held him tightly and rolled them back over until Mickey was in the sand. "It's the only way."

"I don't like this, Ian." Mickey gripped the back of his neck and pulled him to his mouth. "Just tell me."

"Promise me, Mickey." Ian urged, stroking the frowns on his forehead. "I know how this works out here, better than you even, so I need you to trust me."

Something was very wrong for Ian to make him promise before he even told him. It had to be dangerous and something he would never do. But Ian didn't seem in a hurry to go until he promised. 

"Fine, I promise." He huffed playful at Ian's smile. "Now tell me cuz I'm already not liking this."

Ian sighed deeply, soothing both of them by running his fingers into Mickey's hair. "The boat is right above us, but the sharks have doubled since we were out there."

"Fuck." Mickey closed his eyes as he vividly remembered the swarm of hungry sharks. 

"I'm going out first, to lead the sharks away." He paused at Mickey's wide-eyed look. "That will give you a chance to make for the boat."

Mickey sat up on his elbows, bringing their faces very close together. "What about you? How are you gonna make it back to the boat?"

"I can swim faster than the sharks, as I've demonstrated already, so I will lead them away and circle back to join you." Ian pushed their heads together, bringing them as close as possible. 

"No fucking way, Ian." Mickey sat all the way up, forcing Ian to move down, off of him. "There is no way in hell I'm letting you do that. It's too dangerous."

Ian shook his head. "What's dangerous is both of us going and risking both of our lives. The sharks won't be able to catch me and it makes a gap for you to swim."

"You have to be exhausted Ian, from all that shit you already did. Now double the damn sharks and do it again?" He shook his head, holding his hand out for Ian to link their fingers. "That's dangerous."

Ian gripped his chin, making sure to keep eye contact. "It is the only way and you promised me, Mickey." He softened his voice by leaning forward to kiss his cheek, then his nose. "Just trust me."

Mickey closed his eyes, trying to block out one of the millions of scenarios that could happen. But he did promise, he did trust Ian with all he had, all he was. And if Ian thought this was the best way, even when he didn't, then he would do it. 

"If you don't join me at the boat within five minutes of me getting there, then I'm going back in." Mickey argued, seeing Ian's eyes widen. When he tried to argue, Mickey kissed him to shut him up. "No, I will do as you ask, even if I fuckin hate it, but I will get back in if I don't see you."

"Why do you humans have to be so stubborn?" Ian growled but rubbed their noses together in that sweet way that had his heart pounding.

Mickey smiled, cupping his face. "I can't speak for other humans but you know damn well why I don't like it."

Ian nodded. "You should tell me anyways."

"Because I care about you Ian, so fucking much and it's freaking me out to let you go alone again." He paused as his heart beat out of control and a sigh from Ian let him know he heard it. "I don't want to lose you."

Ian kissed him before he replied, letting the kiss last long enough for Mickey's breath to hitch. "You just found me Mickey, there's no way you can lose me." He brushed away a silent tear that had fallen during that kiss. "I will meet you back at the boat as soon as I can."

Mickey nodded and let Ian move away to grab the tank. "Let's make this quick before I change my mind."

Ian smiled and helped Mickey put the tank on. "You won't change your mind. I won't let you."

Once the goggles were situated, Mickey slid into the water and Ian's arms pulled him close. "I'm going down at the same time, that way it'll be quicker. And if I see anything concerning…"

Ian stopped him with a kiss. "No ifs, Mickey. It'll be fine, I promise. Come on," he held his hand out, linking their fingers while the knife moved to his other hand. "We can do it."

With one last kiss and linked hands, they both went under the dark water. They waited until the lights on Mickey's goggles lit up before making the slow descent down to the mouth of the cave. 

Unlike in the daytime, the water seemed colder, dangerous. You couldn't see a foot in front of you and predators surrounded you from all sides. No where was safe except on top of the water and they had about 85 feet of dark, open water to get through first. 

The opening looked about the same, scary in its own way but add the darkness of the water and the alarming number of sharks on the other side and it felt like a nightmare. Mickey squeezed Ian's hand as they stopped in front of it. Ian smiled at him, not looking nearly as worried as Mickey felt.

When Ian pulled him close, abandoning their hand holding to hold him with both arms, Mickey melted into it. Resting his head on Ian's shoulder as he rubbed up and down the gems on Ian's back. It wasn't goodbye, it was more like be careful, stay safe and I'm worried. 

When they pulled back, Mickey had never been more afraid. Not even when Ian left him that first time. Not even when Ian had been gone for three days. Watching him square his shoulders and adjust the knife in his hands, was hands down the scariest thing he'd ever seen. 

Ian flashed him a quick smile before he darted out, pushing past dozens of sharks to get a little ways away from the cave. Mickey moved closer to the opening, eyes wide when half the sharks moved away to circle Ian. 

When Ian slashed a cut into the top of his arm, Mickey about abandoned the safety of the cave. The blood trickled into the water, alerting the other sharks to join the ones already near him. Mickey could see them ready to hunt and kill. He could see it in the jerky movements as they swam around him, the little nips they took at each other and the closer they got to Ian. 

And then he was gone, taking off like a torpedo, swimming through the water as fast as possible, leaving that blood trail for the sharks to follow. And they did follow, all of them. Leaving the opening to the cave and the surrounding water as empty as it had been a few hours ago. 

Mickey waited until the last shark swam after the others before he wiggled passed the entrance of the cave and swam as hard as fast as he could. For awhile, there was nothing but dark water. The glow of his mask didn't even let him know which way was up, or what might be lurking in the dark. He could have been swimming down for all he knew, or further from the cave and there would be no way to tell until it was too late. 

So, he swam hard in whichever direction he could. Unable to help but look around, looking for signs of Ian or any sharks around but it was too dark. The bubbles around his face were obscuring his mask because he was breathing so harshly. He was panicking. He was alone, Ian was in danger, Noah could be lurking out there like the sharks, waiting to hurt him again. 

Bright lights from above halted that panic long enough for him to focus. The lights were from the bottom of his boat and he had been swimming in the right direction. A little relief washed over him as he swam towards it, getting closer and closer until he breached the surface.

"Mick!!" Iggy yelled, waving his arms.

Mickey waved back as he tossed the mask aside and swam the short distance to his boat. By the time he reached the side, some of the sharks has returned, slowly swimming just below the surface so he could see their fins.

"Let's getcha outta there." Knox bent down with Quinn on the other side and each grabbed one of Mickey's arms to haul him up. 

Mickey was exhausted, mind and body and soul. It would be simple to roll over and kick the tank off and sleep, to curl up and get warm and sleep until his body was back to normal. But there was one thing more than he wanted aside from sleep, more than every other basic need screaming at him. 

He needed Ian. 

Mickey shrugged off the help of his crew, let the heavy tank fall to the deck and grabbed the big light, shining it onto the water. "If he's not here in five minutes, we go in."

Iggy looked at Knox who had a sad look on his face. "Mickey, you know we can't do that. Look at all of them." He pointed to at least four different fins above the water. "I'm sure there are more along the way."

Mickey glared at him before returning his eyes back to the water. "Stay the fuck here then, I'll go in myself and get him."

Quinn moved up beside Mickey, putting his hand on the light. "I'll work the light, you check the water."

Mickey smiled, squeezed his shoulder gratefully and moved to walk around the boat. The water was rather still, calming even with the sharks swimming below. And at night, Ian was harder to see. He had to strain his eyes for them to look deep enough.

"Mick…" Iggy tried again.

"Fuck you, Iggy," Mickey shoved him, making him take a step back. "You don't wanna help me look then go somewhere else because we are not leaving until he is with us."

"Iggy, come on man." Knox shook his head, looking on the other side of the boat. "Without Ian we never would have found him. We can't just leave." 

"We won't leave." Mickey hissed at Iggy before he started checking the other side. "I told him five minutes and that was ten minutes ago."

Knox and Quinn seemed to agree with him, Iggy not so much and Mickey knew he cared about what happened to Ian but Iggy knew he was serious about getting into the water. And that's what scared him. 

"Shit," Mickey gasped, feeling that panic well up in his chest. "Where the fuck are you!!?" He screamed out at the water and when he got nothing in return, tears prickled the corners of his eyes and his body began to shake. "Where are you Ian?"


	10. Fate

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 10- Fate

"I have to get in." Mickey spoke as he paced, unable to sit still even if it was only for a minute. "There's no other choice."

Ian hadn't come back and nearly twenty minutes had passed. Mickey allowed his crew to delay him getting back into the water. He let them come up with scenarios that had Ian alive and well but pretty far off, making the trip back seem longer. They even said Ian was trying to wait it out until the sharks cleared. 

The effort was appreciated but Mickey knew those words were just that; words. Kind words, but words all the same and it wasn't enough to make him stay. 

"Mickey, look in the water." Iggy waved his hand towards the shark infested water. "I'm counting at least six different fins. You can't get in."

"I have to." Mickey whispered it this time, unable to talk over a whisper from the lump in his throat. "Ian needs me."

The tears that pooled in his eyes refused to stay put this time and Mickey didn't bother trying to hide it. He was afraid, he was panicking and the person he loved hadn't come back as he promised. Mickey was entitled to cry, to feel afraid without judgement. 

"Ian needs me, Iggy." Mickey turned, eyes wet with tears as he basically begged his brother to understand. "Please."

Iggy felt the moisture in his own eyes and nodded. "Okay Mick, but we do it my way."

Without even knowing the terms and conditions of Iggy's way, Mickey nodded gratefully. And as much as he wanted to reach out and hug his brother; something they didn't do very often, he didn't. He just moved over to him and offered Iggy his hand, thankful when Iggy clasped it with his own and squeezed hard. 

"You aren't getting in until the sharks are gone." Iggy shook his head when Mickey tried to argue. "We have about half a bucket of chum below that we didn't dump yet."

"Yeah, so?" Knox asked, knowing Mickey wouldn't. 

"We drive away from the cave, dump the chum so the sharks leave this area." Iggy managed a small smile when Mickey tipped his head to him; respect. "We drive back here and get in, two of us."

"I'm going." Mickey spoke up, even when it was clear he would be one of the two. 

"Agreed, I'm coming too. Gonna need some muscle to get him up here if…" he didn't finish the sentence as another tear rolled silently down Mickey's cheek. He glanced to Knox and Quinn; the muscle and received nods in agreement. 

"I'll get the chum, Knox, you grab that harpoon gun." Quinn pointed to a narrow cabinet behind him as he moved to the stairs.

Mickey just stood there, tears steadily leaking down his cheeks, silent as if he might disturb the quietness around them. Everyone moved but him, and he knew that it was fear paralyzing him, making it physically impossible to move. 

"Mick, you with me?" Iggy asked, squeezing his shoulder. 

Mickey nodded, not glancing away from the water. "I'm here Igg, I just can't…" He shook his head and by the tight grip on his shoulder, Iggy understood. "I don't know if I can do this."

Iggy narrowed his eyes. "You don't know if you can do what? Get in the water? Because I'm sure Knox or Quinn can come with me."

Mickey looked at him, finally glancing away from the water. "I don't know if I can be without him."

That's when Iggy pulled him into a hug, wrapping both arms around him. Mickey didn't fight it. He rested his head on Iggy's shoulder, but didn't hug him back or move his arms. He just let his brother hug him, to comfort him when he needed it and he never needed it more than he did now. 

"Iggy?" Knox asked softly, harpoon gun in hand as he approached them carefully. 

Iggy just glanced over, not pulling away and was a little surprised that Mickey didn't either. "Start the boat Knox, get us about twenty feet away."

Knox nodded and turned away as Quinn came up from below, chum in hand. "Leave em be, just get ready to go in the water if Mickey can't."

"He's gonna be fine, Mickey." Iggy kept his voice low so only Mickey could hear him. "Ian can be a dangerous son of a bitch when he needs to be."

Mickey pulled away and Iggy let him. "I can't imagine Ian being dangerous on purpose." He wiped his eyes, trying to regain some sort of control so he could focus. "I don't think he could imagine it either."

Iggy nodded and handed the harpoon gun to Mickey, bracing his feet as the boat slowly moved away. "I guess he didn't tell you that he almost killed Noah."

Mickey took his eyes off the water and looked at Iggy like he'd never seen him before. "What are you talking about?"

"When Ian was meeting us at the boat to come find you, Noah was waiting." Iggy smiled just remembering the surprised look on Noah's face. "He trapped Ian in a net."

Mickey growled. "I'm gonna fucking kill him."

"Noah made the mistake of thinking Ian was helpless, didn't give him the caution he deserved. Ian sliced his leg, making him drop so he could put that blade to his neck."

Mickey's eyes nearly popped out of his head, he was so shocked he couldn't speak. But the look on Iggy's face was one of respect. 

"Ian told us Noah didn't realize he was there and if he hadn't been, you'd have died." Iggy felt the boat stop, letting him know it was game time. "If we hadn't been there to talk him out of it, Ian would have killed him."

Mickey had no idea what to say or what to think. When he gave Ian his knife, telling him to use it on sharks or whoever got in his way, he didn't think it would be Noah. And there was no way in hell that Mickey could see Ian hurting anyone, not even when his life depended on it.

Ian was gentle and soft, he just wanted to be loved and left alone. He wanted to exist without fear or danger, he wanted to swim and collect shells and coins and bathe in the sun without worry about being captured. 

His Ian would never hurt someone, or want to kill them. Would he? 

"I don't want him to have to do that." Mickey gripped the gun tightly, knowing that if it came down to who killed Noah, he would make damn sure it wasn't Ian. "I never wanted that."

"I know, but we do crazy shit to protect the people we care about, Mick. Sometimes there is no choice, only the willingness to get it done."

"Ready?" Quinn asked, holding the bucket over the water.

Mickey glanced at him, jaw set in a firm line. "Do it." Quinn dumped the entire bucket into the water and Mickey could picture the swarm from earlier as they moved under the water. "It's working. I can feel it."

"Drive back Knox, hurry because it won't take em long to eat all that shit." Iggy moved to grab the waterproof flashlight as Knox drove them back around. "Shit."

Mickey ran to the side, looking into the water to see that only half the sharks fell for their little trick, the rest remained around them, stalking the water. "I only count three and that don't look that big." He moved to the opening of the boat where he and Ian communicated all those months ago. "I'm going."

Iggy nodded, catching the fisherman's knife Quinn tossed into the air. "If we're going, let's go."

Mickey stared into the water, seeing a glimpse of something below the sharks, something fast with a six foot tail. Ian. Mickey smiled, bringing more tears to his eyes and stopped Iggy from getting in with a hand on his chest.

"What?" 

Mickey chuckled, pointing into the water to show him. "It's Ian." 

Iggy's eyes widened. "No fucking way."

Before he had a chance to to say yes fuckin way, Ian popped out of the water a few feet away from them, flushed and out of breath, looking exhausted.

"They're gaining on me." Ian panted, watching the sharks coming after him. "Move."

Mickey didn't understand, nor did he have time to try or to question it. Ian was gone, ducking back into the water and let the sharks follow. "He said move." He glanced at Iggy, who took a few steps back. "Good idea."

Two steps wasn't enough and Mickey wasn't prepared to see Ian leaping from the water, sailing into the air like a bird, headed right for the boat. Mickey opened his arms wide, dropping the harpoon gun, just as Ian slammed into him, knocking the air from his lungs as they plummeted to the deck.

"Holy shit!" Iggy yelled, eyes wide. 

Mickey held Ian to his body as tightly as he could, feeling him tremble and squeeze him back just as hard. He was out of breath, in pain from the hard hit he took but none of it mattered because Ian was there. 

"Mickey." Ian wheezed, out of breath, shaking so hard he couldn't speak. But he gripped Mickey's sides and held onto him as he listened to his heart beat under his ear.

"I got you, Ian." Mickey sobbed, unable to help the wrecked sound of his voice from the tears. He was laying on his back with Ian sprawled on top of him. Mickey held onto him as tightly as possible, keeping him close. "You're okay."

"I tried to get back." Ian lifted his head, crying as he looked up to see Mickey's tearfilled eyes. "I'm sorry, there were too many of them." 

"Shhh," Mickey whispered as he pulled Ian up until he could see into scared green eyes, cupping his face. "It's okay, Ian. It's over." He wiped the tears away, pressing their heads together. "You're safe."

Ian nodded, holding Mickey by his hair. "I was scared I wouldn't get back to you, worried you might not have made it." He leaned into Mickey's palm, kissing it over and over again.

His fear was so real and it was still with him, even when he was safe on the boat. They had come too close to losing each other for nearly twelve hours straight. One incident after another, leaving them both on edge, worried, too afraid to think and breathe. It crippled them. 

"I knew you'd come back, Ian," Mickey whispered back, seeing Ian's tears fall faster. "I knew you'd come back to me."

"How?" Ian asked, sniffling. "One cannot know such things."

Mickey smiled at his odd way of saying things. "I knew because…" his smile faded a little as he remembered the others around them. It seemed as if they were alone together, always, even when they weren't. 

"Because what?" Ian pleaded, eyes searching Mickey's for the answers he needed. 

Even with his crew watching, clearly surprised at their intimate exchange, Mickey said it. "Because I love you too much to give up."

"Oh," Ian's voice cracked, inhibiting him from saying more at the moment. He put one hand against Mickey's chest, feeling his heart pound like a drum. "I love you too, Mickey." The tears doubled when Mickey smiled as if he already knew. "And I will always come back for you."

"Fuck." Mickey voice mimicked Ian's and cracked, shattering all control he had left. He gripped Ian around the back of his neck, pulling him to his mouth as he lay back against the deck. 

That kiss was nothing short of a miracle, of magic and love. Mickey could feel it flow inside his body, then into Ian's through the touch of their lips. Their energy mixed, their souls, their love. Call it what you will, but it was there, it was in them. It was a part of them. 

They kissed as passionately as their positions would allow, with Ian hovering over him, that long beautiful tail tangled with his legs. Ian gripped his face as their tongues swirled together, while Mickey had both arms wrapped around Ian's back, never wanting to lose that feeling. 

"I guess maybe we should go?" Iggy asked quietly, looking from Knox to Quinn. They didn't answer, but stared at them instead. "Yeah, time to go."

At the feel of the boat moving, Mickey pulled back from their kiss, smiling and laughing and crying. Ian too, even as he lay back down on his chest, green eyes closed but that smile remained on his face.

"Yeah," Mickey whispered into the dark sky as he held Ian close, rubbing his fingers up and down his back, his other hand threading into his damp hair. "Time to go home."

Home had never mattered that much to him before, not even when he called Miami home. Because home isn't a place, it's not four walls and a roof, it's not how close to the ocean you are. Home is the people around you. For him, home was Mandy and Iggy, Knox and Quinn were his home since the day he met them. And now Ian. 

Home was family, home was friends. Ian was home.

**

"Back to the marina?" Knox asked, looking onto the deck to talk to Mickey.

Mickey was leaning against the side of the boat, legs spread in front of him with Ian pressed against his side, asleep. They had a blanket spread over them, keeping them as warm as possible until they reached the house. 

After all they'd been through, physically and emotionally, Ian couldn't keep himself awake a moment longer. Mickey managed to pull them to the side and tried to keep Ian warm, to make sure he felt safe because he was on the boat. A place where he begged not to be, a place he feared. 

"Drop me and Ian off at the house." Mickey answered back, holding Ian closer when he flinched. "He's gotta stay close to me until he's strong enough to leave by himself."

Without another word, Knox drove them as close to his bungalow as possible, killing the engine as it rumbled in the dead of night. Ian was still asleep, cuddled into his side as if he was too afraid to move, even in his sleep. 

"Ian." Mickey whispered into his hair as a hand smoothed it back from his face. "We're here."

Ian awoke slowly, exhausted as he tried to lift himself upright. "Here where?" He asked, rubbing over his eyes.

"Back at my room." Mickey tossed the blanket off of them and stood, his bones popping back into place. His bungalow was still quite a swim away from his boat, but it was the only way back. "Can you swim?"

Ian glanced, smiling instantly. "I'm sure the water will lend a helping hand."

Mickey knew what that meant. Ian once said that no one controls the water, but the water helps those who need it. Maybe they needed this bad enough to get a little help. 

"You guys stayin here tonight?" Mickey asked, looking at his crew. "I need a full download on what happened since I was gone."

Iggy nodded and handed Mickey the gun he had tucked behind his back. "Yeah, better safe than sorry. No telling what Noah will do to retaliate."

"If he wants to live he will stay as far away as humanly possible." Ian growled, his voice deep and angry as he made his way to the side of the boat. "He used up his only life, I won't give him another one."

Mickey's heart beat wildly in his chest and by the look Ian gave him, he could either hear it or he felt it. "Dock the boat at the marina and come right back." He looked to his crew. "Tomorrow we are gettin to the bottom of this shit. One way or another."

"Watch your ass until he we back, Mick." Iggy pegged him with a hard stare. "Noah just upped the game and it's gonna get nasty."

Mickey nodded, offering Ian a hand, helping him slowly slip off the boat and into the calm water waiting for him. Nothing else needed to be said because they all knew what it meant. Mickey slipped into the water, unable to hide how each muscle protested from overuse and no rest. 

"I'll help you." Ian whispered against his cheek as soon as he could get close enough. "We can make it together."

Mickey wrapped his arm around Ian's waist, pulling him closer still. "We've made it this far. To the house should be no problem."

Ian moved in for a kiss that instantly turned into something heated, something desperate. "Gonna have to face a lot worse than this."

"I believe that's true." Mickey kissed him once more and together they swam side by side away from the boat. He waited until Knox took off before he kept swimming, glancing at Ian beside him who seemed just as tired. "Almost there." 

Just as he said it, the water moved on its own in a big wave, pushing them quickly to the house. Mickey didn't fight it, even if it felt weird and a little unnatural. Ian sure didn't, he seemed to welcome the help, letting it take them all the way to the deck before the water settled down as if it hadn't been there in the first place. 

"That's odd." Mickey sighed deeply as he gripped the side of the deck and let his head rest against it.

Ian smiled, swimming a little further until he was behind Mickey, holding onto him as he held onto the deck, pressing close to his back. "It doesn't happen often, just when it's needed."

Mickey let his head move back to rest against Ian's, feeling him breathing hotly into his ear. "It was needed this time." He glanced down, seeing their fingers laced together. 

Ian kissed his ear, squeezing their fingers tight. "You need some sleep."

"I do. And so do you." Mickey nuzzled the side of his face. "So either you're coming in or I'm staying."

"You cannot stay in the water like I can and I cannot stay out of it like you can." Ian unlaced their fingers and gripped Mickey by his hips, lifting him onto the deck. "I will stay here."

Mickey turned to sit, unable to hide the way he shivered from the wind on his wet skin. "I'm not leaving you out here, Ian." 

Ian moved up between his thighs until he could wrap his arms around him. "We don't have a choice at the moment." He cupped Mickey's face, running his thumb over the dark circles under his blue eyes. "This is the only way."

"We have a choice." Mickey argued, not willing to leave Ian alone when it would be so easy for Noah and his crew to come back with something worse than a net. 

With Ian looking up at him, confused, Mickey got up and moved to the other side of the deck to grab one of those long chairs and tossed it into the water behind Ian. 

"Mickey?" Ian jumped, eyes wide.

Mickey jumped back into the water, not letting Ian hold onto him but moving to grab the chair. He pushed it all the way up the deck, just before the actual house, and let it sink to the bottom. 

"What are you doing?" Ian asked, smiling fondly at him. 

"I'm improvising." Mickey smirked and pointed to the chair halfway submerged. "You sit there and don't move."

Ian's eyebrows shot up, amused at the authority in Mickey's voice. He swam up to him, backing him against the deck. "And what about you?"

Mickeys swallowed thickly, trying to will his body to calm down at Ian being so close. "I will be right back and you better be here."

Ian hummed a little and moved enough to let Mickey have some room. "I will be here."

"Thank you." Mickey gripped his face, kissing him quickly before he hauled himself out of the water and walked wetly inside. 

It took him less than five minutes to towel off, put on sweats, socks and a long sleeved t-shirt and came back outside. He could see Ian out of the corner of his eye as he moved to the fire pit, starting a fire much bigger than his last one.

"Mick, you here?" Iggy called coming in the door.

"Out here!" He called back, turning away from the fire to locate Ian, smiling at him. Moments later, Iggy, Knox and Quinn moved onto the deck. "All good?"

Iggy nodded, glancing at Ian in the water. "All good."

Mickey relaxed a little and moved the other chairs closer to the fire, then motioned the others to take a seat. They did, looking at him oddly when he chose to sit on the deck and not on a chair. 

"There is another chair, Mick." Iggy laughed, pointing at it.

Mickey nodded but glanced down at Ian who lazily sat in the chair under the water, smiling up at him. "I'm good here." He let his hand drop into the water, squeezing hard when Ian linked them together. "So, I'm thinking we need to leave, make the return trip as soon as we can."

Iggy nodded. "I was hoping for more than one day here but after today I'm over it."

They were all in agreement, even Ian who nodded at him sleepily. The time to enjoy Bermuda has long since passed, leaving them all ready to get as far away from Noah as possible. 

"He's just going to follow us." Knox spoke up, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news but it was the truth. "Until he gets what he wants, he won't stop."

"He isn't getting what he wants." Mickey's voice carried clear across the water. "It's not happening."

Ian squeezed Mickey's hand, moving closer to the deck, waiting until he looked down to speak. "He won't get what he wants, but that doesn't mean he won't try."

"And aside from killing him," Quinn offered happily but stopped. "No, not even that will work."

Mickey glared. "Why not? No more Noah, no more hunt."

Iggy shook his head. "He's right, Mickey. Noah didn't just find a mermaid by himself. He's working for people who want them, remember? If he gets killed or tossed in jail, someone else is just gonna pop up."

Mickey groaned. Iggy and Quinn were right. "Okay. So what, we take down their company?" He asked, not being serious. "If Noah is gone, they won't be able to track Ian unless they see him again. And they won't."

"How?" Ian spoke up, moving out of the chair and up to the deck. "It might not be me or Noah, but it'll still be man against mermaid and we know who wins most of those."

Mickey tugged Ian closer until one webbed hand landed on his leg. "We can't change the way the entire world thinks. Not anytime soon anyway." This time no one spoke up because it was the truth. "At least at home we have a better chance. Or with Noah gone, there is an even better chance."

This was one of those the world against nature kind of things. It was as hard as trying to keep people from killing off sharks for food or trying to stop ocean pollution. It didn't happen in a day. It wasn't instant and taking out one person responsible, wouldn't make it stop. Killing Noah wouldn't make hunters stop going after mermaids. There would always be someone else. 

"We can't do shit tonight." Mickey let out a deep breath, feeling the energy draining out of him and Ian quickly. Ian's head now rested against his leg, green eyes trying to close. "But we do need to move out. Tomorrow we pack up, get the shit we need to make the Puerto Rico trip, then home."

This wasn't instant either. The trip from Bermuda to Puerto Rico took as long as it did to make it from Miami to Bermuda. At least a month, if they were lucky. They would still have to work, be on the lookout for Noah and try to keep Ian safe. It wasn't ideal, but it was their only play for the moment.

There were a few moments of silence and Mickey used them to run his hands into Ian's hair, brushing the drying strands out of his eyes. Then rubbing over the width of his shoulders, smiling a little each time Ian relaxed further against him. Sighing deeply. Those green eyes even opened, his perfect lips turned up into a smile. 

All for him. Because of him. 

"You're tired." Ian whispered, rubbing his face along the soft material of Mickey's clothes.

"So are you." He said back, seeing Ian nodding sleepily. 

The eyes on them didn't bother him like he thought it would. Mickey never showed affection like this before, towards anyone, let alone a man he cared about. Now his crew were getting some serious PDA and he didn't give a shit. 

Ian's little smile is why he didn't. Or the way he rested against him, seeking as much comfort as possible with their positions. Mickey didn't blush or shy away from the touch, he didn't alter the words he used towards Ian. 

He'd been lonely for far too long and now that he had someone he wanted more than anything, there would be no hiding. No shame. No secrets. Just sweet smiles and the soft sound of Ian sighing each time he touched him. 

"How hurt is Noah?" Mickey asked out of the blue. Ian's eyes opened, darkening in anger and even the gentle sweep of his hand was not enough to calm him. He glanced up at Iggy. "How bad?"

Iggy was smirking, as well as the others. "I called the hospital on the way back here. Fudged the truth a little and said I was family." He paused as Mickey grinned. "He's got a four inch slice across his right calf muscle. Blade went deep enough for stitches."

Ian felt that growl bubble up his throat and only the feel of Mickey's rough hand across his shoulders was enough to keep him quiet. 

"Fuck, I love you." Mickey admitted easily, sounding far too happy that Noah had been in the hospital at all. But Ian's smile was worth it as he rose up from the water and pushed their lips together in a lingering kiss. 

"Love you." Ian replied easily, sinking back into his original spot. His voice turning back into a low growl as he looked at the other. "He's lucky that's all he got."

The others agreed so hard they only nodded, knowing it would get Ian worked up if they said too much about it all. 

"It was bad enough to warrant a hospital but not bad enough to keep him there." Knox spoke up, trying not to grip the gun at his hip. "He left about an hour later against medical advice."

"Figures. Bastard can't do anything right." Mickey rubbed his eyes, a headache forming between them. "I'm sure we'll see him at some point tomorrow before we leave. If we can leave that soon. But until then, we need to rest up. You guys take the house."

They all looked at him a little oddly, including Ian and Mickey knew it was a little odd for him not to sleep in the house but he meant what he said, he wasn't leaving Ian. 

"I'm sleepin out here." He explained, catching a few understanding looks from his crew. Ian, however, gripped his leg, making him look down. "You're not gonna change my mind, Ian."

Ian laughed because he knew that much was true. "No fear of drowning?" He winked, choosing to be playful about it rather than serious. 

Mickey bent down until his head pushed into Ian's and their lips were only inches away. "You wouldn't let me drown, would ya?"

Ian shook his head, eying his lips hungrily. "I'm good at mouth to mouth, so no worries."

Mickey gripped Ian behind his neck, connecting their lips, moaning quietly into Ian's mouth for only him to hear. 

"Jesus. Get a room." Iggy groaned, getting up before anything else happened.

Mickey broke the kiss and as soon as he turned to look at them, Ian was moving to his neck. Leaving hot, wet, body trembling kisses. "Go in then, this is our room."

Knox and Quinn simply smiled and walked inside. Leaving them alone for a few seconds before Iggy returned with a blanket and a pillow from the bed. Mickey grinned, getting the finger in return as he walked back inside. 

"You shouldn't sleep out here." Ian mumbled against his throat, kissing further down until the soft material of his shirt blocked the rest of his path. "You could roll off."

"I'm not leaving." He arched his neck, keeping his voice low. "Don't try and change my mind because it won't work and you can't kiss me if we talk."

Ian chuckled, lifting his head to start kissing under Mickey's chin, then his stubbly jaw, the corner of his mouth. "How about I keep kissing and you talk to me."

As tired as they were, touching seemed far more important than sleep. It seemed like all his aches and pains disappeared under Ian's mouth. The choice to keep going was already out of his control. 

"And if I did, what would I talk about?" Mickey's hand moved over a little until he was lightly gripping Ian's throat, his thumb under his chin. Tilting it until their eyes met. "What would you like me to say?"

Ian chewed the corner of his lip as his hand moved up Mickey's clothed thigh. Blue eyes darkened, his grip tightened. "Anything you want. What you want, what you're feeling. What you think about when I kiss you."

Already his body stirred to life, pushing passed the need to eat and sleep and went right to the needs of his body. That ache he felt was still there. An ache that not even jerking off could quench properly. And until Ian had legs and they figured all that shit out, he would be aching for quite some time. 

"I probably shouldn't say what I want," Mickey tightened his grip, bringing Ian closer to his mouth at the same time one webbed hand settled high up the inside of his thigh. "Or what I think because it'll make the need worse."

Ian licked his lips, the tips of his fingers slowly brushing over the hardness in Mickey's clothes. "What need?" He asked, knowing that for now, they could only do so much about their needs. "Let me help."

The tips of Ian's fingers brushed over the head of his cock, making his eyes flutter closed for a moment. "The need that requires you to have legs." He said it so low he wasn't sure Ian could hear, but the soft gasp let him know he had. "A need that jerking off won't take away. I need something else."

Mickey knew the second Ian remembered. When he spied on him, watching him touch himself and not just the way he touched his cock, but the rest. Ian groaned a deep, sexy sound. 

"Like before?" Ian asked, pushing his entire hand forward until he could close his hand around him. "With your fingers?"

"Fuck." Mickey groaned, moving to lay on one side so he had room to spread his legs. The hand that wasn't on Ian's throat moved over his, helping him stroke him. "And yes, what I did with my fingers." He shut his eyes as images of Ian's long fingers flashed into his mind. "That's what I need."

"I won't have legs for hours." Ian glanced at the moon. "Let me do it," Ian moved quickly to bite Mickey's bottom lip when he groaned again. "You can tell me what to do and I can help. I want you to feel good."

Fuck, Ian was going to be the death of him. No joke. He barely survived Ian jerking him off, or them getting each other off like they had been. The way he touched him, the way he responded to his touch, the sounds he made because of it, was powerful enough to make him come if he thought about it long enough.

Not to mention that Ian was a virgin; his own words. Ian said he had no experience pleasing anyone, aside from when he did it himself and the moments they shared. And inexperience had never turned him on before. But knowing Ian had never touched anyone else, not to mention how eager he was to learn, was the hottest things he'd ever seen. 

"God." Mickey whined, eager to pull his sweats down enough to get played with. "Not out here. Not when they could hear us." His hand moved from Ian's throat around his back, barely pressing against Ian's but it was enough to have him gasping. 

"I want you." Ian whispered, breathing heavier as he slipped the tips of his fingers inside his clothes to feel hot, hard skin. "I want it again." 

Just before he could give in, slip off his clothes and climb into the water, the outside lights flickered on. Moments later the door opened and Iggy popped his head out. 

"You sure you're good out here?"

Mickey nodded, lifting his leg a little so Iggy didn't see how much of Ian's hand was in his pants. "M'good. Let us get some sleep."

"Fine." Iggy huffed, shutting the light off before he closed the door. 

Mickey focused back on Ian, seeing the flush to his cheeks override the dark bags under his eyes. "I'll get you this time, yeah?"

"What about you?" Ian asked, eyebrows drawn in. "I like it when we both do it."

Mickey smiled. "I like it too. But my shit makes a big mess." He gripped Ian's hand, moving it away from his cock. "We can do it together when we have time."

"What if I can't do it without you?" Ian asked seriously. "Listening to you, touching you, is what gets me there." 

"Fuck, I like that it gets you there." Mickey growled as he stroked the side of his mouth. "Let's give it a try, hmm? I can touch you and kiss you, talk to you like you wanted."

Ian's body trembled, making him gasp sharply. "Up here?" He motioned to the deck, already not strong enough to say no again. 

Mickey nodded. "Think you can?" 

He only asked because land and Ian did not mix. Ian got on his boat by necessity, not choice. He would never assume anything about Ian unless it came from his mouth. 

"Yeah, I guess I could." Ian blushed, a little flustered by how much he wanted it. Wanting it enough to get out of the water. "But when we can, then will you let me help?"

Mickey nodded, his body pulsing.

"With my fingers, I mean." Ian added, just to clarify. 

"Jesus." Mickey shifted, letting the heel of one foot press into his ass just enough to remind him how deprived he was. "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it. Now get up here."

The second he moved over, Ian pulled himself up and Mickey eagerly took in how big his shoulders were as they bunch, pulling himself all the way up. That long, beautiful tail stretching the entire length of the deck. 

Mickey crawled to the other side, where the deck was dry and laid down beside him, propped up on one elbow so he could keep looking at him. "You're so beautiful."

Ian blushed, hiding his face in his arms as he stayed on his stomach. "I'm happy you think so."

Mickey's eyes finally made it back to his face. "The whole world thinks so Ian." He moved closer, trailing his left arm down Ian's back, starting at his neck. 

"I only care about you," Ian moved closer, still on his stomach but had his head tipped to the side, asking for a kiss. "Just you."

Mickey gave him the kiss he wanted. Deepening it quickly, unable to stop growling. Swirling their tongues together as his hand moved down Ian's back, over each bump of his spine, over each gem until he softly pressed into his lower back. 

"Mickey…" Ian gasped, breaking the kiss. "I can't believe how good it feels."

Mickey smiled, moving to kiss across Ian's jaw, then his ear. Down the long length of his neck before his shoulder. "I'm gonna try something else this time, if you'll let me." He slid down the deck a little as he cleared Ian's shoulders. "Wanna let me?"

Ian nodded, his head dropped between his arms, holding as still as possible. "Try what?"

"I'm gonna use my mouth this time." Mickey demonstrated by licking over one of his sides, not minding the salty water on his skin. "I think it'll make it stronger."

Ian glanced back over his shoulder, eyes wide. "It?"

"Your orgasm, Ian." Mickey moved to his knees, licking down Ian's spine as he shuddered under him. Getting closer and closer to that spot. "Unless you want me to stop."

"Don't stop. Please."

So he didn't. He knelt beside Ian's body, mapping out the long length of his back with eager hands before using his mouth. Kissing and sucking his skin, licking the water away. Memorizing every deep groan, Ian gave those deep ones when he used his teeth, then the soft gasps for when he used his tongue. 

"I want your mouth all over me if it feels this good." Ian groaned, arching his back, aching to feel more. 

"Anytime you want it, Ian." Mickey groaned against his back, pushing his hips against the side of Ian's tail. Adding just the right amount of friction to pull a groan from him. "I'll put my mouth all over you."

"Please." Ian moaned again.

Mickey gripped both of Ian's hips, his thumbs pressing hard into his skin as he lowered his mouth, right on that spot. Kissing over it, licking slowly, swirling his tongue around both dimples in his back.

"Oh, my God…" Ian moaned. He slapped his hand over his mouth, eyeing the house for the humans. When he they didn't come out, he lowered his hand, breathing deeply. "It feels better like this."

Mickey growled. "Yeah?" Ian nodded quickly, green eyes dark each time he looked back. "Touch yourself, Ian. Slide your hand to the front while I get the back."

He didn't wait to see if Ian would, he knew Ian would. Mickey focused on Ian's back, adding pressure from his thumbs as he continued with his mouth. 

Somehow this was far better than his own pleasure. Giving Ian what he wanted, what he needed. Making him moan. Bringing him pleasure was far more addicting than his own. 

"Oh, God." Ian pushed into his hand, grinding his tail against it as Mickey held his hips. "I need you, Mickey."

"I need you, too." Mickey leaned up, kissing along Ian's neck as his thumbs moved in circles against Ian's lower back. "I can't wait to see your legs, to touch you how you touch me. To actually make you come."

"You want that?" Ian asked, wishing it was time right now. 

"Fuck, yeah I want it." Mickey paused to take his mouth, swallowing Ian's moans greedily. "I want you in my mouth, I want to suck you until you come down my throat."

"Yes. Yes, I want it." Ian rolled to his side, making Mickey release his back long enough to pull him down to the deck, their lips close together. "I have to touch you."

There was no saying no. Ian pushed his hand down his sweats, gripping him hard enough for his entire body to buck. Mickey went with it, kissing him hard as his hand slid under Ian's body, pushing against his lower back while his other hand moved to the front, pushing into his tail. 

"I can't wait until we can move together, until we are nothing but skin." Ian moved his arm faster, tightening his grip. "I want to use my fingers until you come like you did before."

"Please." Mickey begged brokenly, moving Ian's hand from his cock to his ass, urging him on. It was too much. "Please, baby."

Ian's eyes widened at the term. He gripped Mickey's ass, squeezing hard until he moaned. "Tell me how."

It was hard to keep up his end, rubbing Ian the way he needed it. His body refused to cooperate, refused to deny his own needs. But he kept it up, panting against his mouth. "Just keep going, it's already working."

It was chaotic, confusing. Their bodies tangled as they moved. Mickey had one leg over Ian's tail so he was able to push his cock against it, then push back into Ian's hand as he squeezed his ass. 

They kissed, and begged and pleaded for more. Mickey felt Ian tremble with every move from his hands and knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. 

"Fuck, oh fuck." Mickey whined, watching Ian fall apart before him. Ian's entire body shook as he found his orgasm, green eyes slamming closed, unable to hold them open. "You're so sexy, Ian."

"Mick." Ian whispered, twice as exhausted now but determined to make Mickey come. "I want to use my mouth."

It wasn't a request. Mickey rolled with it as Ian put him on his back with a firm grip, moving between his legs, kissing from his lips down to his hips, green eyes looking up, eager. "You sure?" He asked, forcing the words out as he held onto Ian's head. 

"More than anything, love," Ian pulled his pants down more until he could see all of him. Hard and ready. "You've given me so much pleasure already. Let me, please."

Ian's mouth…fuck, he wasn't going to last long at all. 

"Just no teeth." Mickey thumbed Ian's lips, groaning when he sucked on his finger. "Put your lips over them, use your tongue, but no teeth."

"No teeth." Ian repeated as he glanced down, letting Mickey guide him. 

"Like this," Mickey was breathless as he spoke but waited until Ian looked up to roll his tongue out, licking up. "Just like sucking on my finger."

Ian copied the motion, watching Mickey groan because of it. He dipped his head down, rolling his tongue along hard skin. "Like that?"

"Just like that, but all over, baby." Mickey used the term effortlessly. He slid his hand down, jerking a few times before holding onto it, pushing the wet tip against Ian's mouth. "Show me."

Without further hesitation, Ian opened his mouth, taking Mickey down just as if it were his finger and sheathed his teeth behind his lips. Mickey was writhing beneath him, eyes shut, head thrown back as he moaned up to the moon. 

"Fuck, just like that." His eyes nearly went crossed as he saw Ian's lips spread wide around him. He added a little pressure, making Ian take more of him before he pulled, helping him slide off. "See, up and down, baby. Bob your head, take as much as you want."

Up and down. Ian followed the motion, eyes cast up as he moved down first, all the way until his mouth was too full for anymore to fit. He wiggled his tongue, seeing how much Mickey liked it, then pulled up. 

"Holy shit." Mickey whined, watching Ian suck him. His pretty mouth slick, wide open as he moved. Making his cock wet, making it pulse and leak into his mouth. "Like it?"

Ian pulled all the way off this time, catching his breath as spit coated his lips. "I can feel you getting wet."

Mickey groaned and as if on cue, his cock leaked again, beading his head with pre-come. "You're doin so good, baby," he wiped the wetness with his thumb, then sucked it into his own mouth. Moaning. "I've never seen anything so sexy before, fuck."

Ian didn't reply, he only smiled coyly and took him back down. Mickey was surprised. This time was nothing like those first few bobs, this time it was like Ian inhaled all that knowledge and used it. Sucking him like he had years of blow jobs under his belt.

He was eager, nearly taking him all the way down before swirling his tongue around him on the way back up. Mickey tightened his grip each time Ian took the time to lick away the pre-come, green eyes closing like he loved the taste. 

Fuck, he was gonna come so hard. 

"Oh, my fucking God!" Mickey moaned into his arm, trying to stifle the loud noise but Ian was moving so fast it was a blur. Just the dip of red hair and dark green eyes, the vibration from when he started to moan around him. "I'm gonna come. You wanna move?"

Mickey asked, panting through the entire sentence. Doing his best not to fuck up into his mouth. 

Ian growled, holding Mickey's thighs apart as he kept moving. 

"Shit, shit, shit!" He moved up on one elbow, fisting Ian's hair tightly. "Here it comes, baby. Look at me." 

Ian looked up, seeing his love fall apart. 

"Yes!" Mickey came hard, pulling Ian up a little as not to choke him. Ian seemed surprised, eyes wide but instinct took over and Mickey watched him swallow fast, drinking him down. "God!"

It was so fucking good. Mickey knew for a fact that he had never come so hard before. So good. Making his entire body collapse. Shaking, panting. Sweating as he twitched. 

And Ian, looking like a God as he pulled off him, licking his red lips. As if he needed to get every drop. He was beautiful, powerful. Majestic. And his.

"I want to do it again." Ian smiled, glancing up at him through his eyelashes. 

Mickey laughed, sat up and pulled Ian to his mouth as he lay back down. He swirled his tongue inside, tasting himself and Ian growled because of it. Holding his face, taking control of him, of the kiss. Of his mind and body and soul. 

"Again will have to wait." Mickey pulled back to say, a little obsessed with how red his lips were. "You were so good, Ian."

"So were you." Ian smiled, brushing Mickey's hair back. "I love the way you taste."

"Next time, I taste you." Mickey growled, letting Ian roll over beside him. That's when he noticed it. "You look a little flushed."

Ian nodded, feeling like his skin was pulled too tightly over his bones. "Too much time out of the water does that."

Mickey pulled his sweats up as he sat down, pulling Ian up with him. "In you go." He held Ian's hand as he slipped into the water and the flush on his cheeks faded back to normal in seconds. "You okay?"

Ian swam to the deck, pulling up so he could rest his elbows on it. "I'm fantastic."

Mickey grinned, kissing him deeply. "Come on, we need to sleep." He moved to the top of the deck where Iggy tossed his pillow and Ian swam alongside him. "If you need me when it happens, I'm here."

The sun would rise in a few hours and Ian would once again have legs. And as much as Mickey wanted to look, wanted to watch, he knew now was not the time.

"Just don't look yet, okay?" Ian asked, his voice low. "It's not private enough where we are."

Mickey leaned over, pushing their heads together. "I won't look, baby, but I'm here if you need me. To talk or just be awake with you."

Ian let out a grateful sigh. "You are too good to me, Mickey. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for loving you, Ian." Mickey kissed his forehead.

Ian looked up, touching his cheek softly. "I must thank someone for it. For you. For bringing us together. I am so grateful for you, Mickey."

"And I am grateful for you." Mickey kissed him again and watched as Ian moved into the chair under the water, leaving enough room to keep their hands linked. He got situated as well, laying on the pillow, his arms hanging over the side. "I'm going to be grateful for the rest of my life."

Ian smiled, feeling his eyes close before he could fight to keep them open. "I love you, Mickey."

Mickey squeezed his hand, drifting off slowly. "Love you too, baby." He felt the water settle, knowing Ian was asleep when he whispered the last few words. "More than anything."


	11. In Another Life

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 11- In Another Life

It was just before dawn when he heard it. Even over the harsh winds and crashing waves against the deck. A soft crying sound, Ian. Mickey let Ian squeeze his hand as hard as he needed to, nearly dislocating his thumb. He took the pain because Ian had to.

Mickey did his best to help. Keeping his eyes closed as Ian asked, even when he let his head hang off the deck so Ian could see him. He squeezed Ian's hand back, rubbed his thumb over his wrist. But most of all, he talked to him. 

Nothing special, nothing serious. Just talking. Mostly about the ocean. About places he'd been to, on vacation or for work. Describing white sand, or pink once, crystal clear water, or the darkness of the Black Sea. 

Eventually Ian's grip loosened and Mickey could hear him take deep, shuddering breaths. Whimpering a little as he exhaled. Mickey kept his eyes closed but leaned over to kiss Ian's hand. Letting Ian stroke the side of his face with his other one.

Mickey wanted to look so bad. 

More than anything, even more than the urge to look, Mickey just wanted to hold him. To kiss his temple each time he whimpered, maybe wrap both arms around him just so he felt safe. He wanted their hands linked, keeping them together. 

"It hurts." Ian whispered moments after it happened. 

It had been the saddest thing he'd ever heard. Not just the words, but the way Ian said them. Ian felt that pain each day, each time it happened and up until now, he'd been alone. 

"I wish I could see you." Mickey whispered, keeping his eyes shut. "I wish I could help."

The water shifted as Ian moved and Mickey wondered if Ian could even use his legs like a human would. 

"This is helping, Mickey." Ian squeezed their linked hands. "Not being alone helps so much."

"I feel useless up here." 

"I feel useless down here."

"Can I come down?" Mickey asked, not knowing if it was asking too much. But he hated the distance right now. "I won't look, I just wanna hold you."

It took awhile, maybe over an hour, maybe less than half a second. Mickey could feel his heart pounding in his chest, echoing in his mind. But then Ian spoke and suddenly it wasn't so loud. 

"Promise you won't look?" Ian asked quietly.

Mickey smiled. "I promise, baby. I won't look until you want me to." 

"Okay."

Mickey kissed Ian's hand before he released it. He stood, unbothered by how stiff he was from sleeping on the deck and shrugged off his tank top and pushed his sweats down until he was in his boxers. 

"I'm comin down." Mickey sat on the edge and lowered himself into the water just next to where Ian had been. He hesitated, thinking too loudly as his eyes remained closed.

Ian would be naked. 

He drug the thin blanket into the water, keeping a good grip as it grew heavy as it soaked completely and moved slowly until he could feel the lounge chair and Ian's hand. 

"You're really not gonna look?" Ian asked quietly, huddled into the chair with his knees drawn up to his chest.

"I won't." Mickey smiled, running his hand the length of Ian's arm until he could feel him.

Ian had to have been sitting up because he didn't bump his legs as he moved closer. Mickey felt with his fingers, not touching his legs but how one arm was folded around them and Ian's back was hunched, holding himself.

"Can you hop up really quick?" Mickey asked, his thumb moving back and forth on Ian's arm. He was cold.

"Yeah. But why?" Ian moved to the side, slipping off the chair so his legs sank into cold sand.

"Wanted to sit, you can sit on my lap." Mickey was about to get into the chair when he heard Ian's teeth chattering. "Do you want to move the chair in the sun?"

Ian glanced around, seeing no one. "Is that safe?"

"I'll make it safe." Mickey promised but didn't move the chair until Ian agreed.

"Okay. Maybe a little." He moved back in to sit and held on as Mickey moved the chair against the bottom of the ocean, away from the shaded water and into the warm water. "This feels so much better."

Mickey smiled. "Okay, just let me sit." He waited a moment and heard Ian slip from the chair again. He sat quickly, holding his hand out for Ian. "Ready?"

Ian nodded, looking all around as he slowly climbed up on Mickey's lap, his legs folded to the side, pushing against Mickey's chest as his back settled in the cradle of one strong arm.

"You feel so light." Mickey marveled, keeping one hand around Ian's chest so he didn't let it wander too far south. "Brought this, just so you're covered." He motioned to the blanket and got a kiss on his cheek in return.

"You're too good to me." Ian sighed and helped Mickey cover his nakedness, shivering a little at the cold material. "I'm never out in the open so I don't have to worry about it."

Mickey relaxed as Ian settled back against him, tilted to the side so his head rested on his shoulder. Ian's arms folded between them, one cold hand on his chest, slowly stroking over it. 

"Do you stay in the water when it happens?" Mickey asked, turning a little to kiss his head. 

"Not normally." Ian closed his eyes at the kiss. "You've seen one of my places. It has land so I'm not in the water. I'm significantly weaker like this."

"I know you wanted to wait for me to see before we talk about it " Mickey paused to kiss Ian's shoulder, finding that he couldn't help himself. "But can you use them at all?"

Ian cuddled closer, kissing warm skin. "I used to be able to walk. Not just like a few steps, but actually walk. On land, on the beach or where humans are."

Mickey couldn't hide his surprise quick enough. "Wow, I hope you had clothes on."

Ian laughed. "I did, minimal though because it felt weird. Scratchy. Suffocating." He pressed his face against Mickey's chest, just because he wanted to. "But yeah. I could walk, running was hard though and I found I got tired easily."

Mickey almost couldn't even imagine Ian with legs. Not because he would look awful but he was so used to seeing his beautiful tale. Seeing him swim faster than any boat could ever go. Ian belonged in the water. 

"But it's been nearly a hundred years since I tried to walk." He shifted a little, pushing one leg off of Mickey's lap to let it dangle in the water. "I can move them, sit on them. Little things but walking would be hard."

"That's a long time not to use them." Mickey had his hand on the arm of the chair and could feel the movements of Ian's leg as he moved it in the water. "And from the feel of you, I'd say you're pretty tall. Taller than me."

Ian smiled as he looked up, seeing Mickey's eyes still closed. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mickey's fingers tapping on the chair, eager to touch. "You're trying not to touch me."

Mickey smiled. "Yeah, I am." He gripped the chair, stopping his fingers from moving. "Trying to picture you without your tail. Not seeing it."

Ian took his hand off Mickey's chest, reached down to lay his hand over Mickey's. He linked their fingers and lifted them, slowly moving them towards his leg.

"Ian, you don't have to." Mickey tensed, putting a stop to it just before they would touch. "I'm happy to wait."

"I want you to." Ian pushed a little, showing him he wanted it. "Within reason of course. They're sensitive like my tail."

Mickey held his breath, trying not to get too excited. The hand around Ian's waist tightened, like he needed something to brace himself before it happened. 

Ian was calm. Mickey could feel his steady breathing, unlike his own which was rather ragged. He wasn't shaking anymore, from the cold or from fear. Ian's other hand moved up to his face, cupping it softly.

"I should be scared, not you." Ian whispered against his mouth.

Mickey leaned down, the hand on Ian's side moving up to his jaw, feeling his way to his lips. "You don't have to be scared with me, Ian. Not about anything."

Ian's breath hitched, still surprised by Mickey's open-mindedness. "When you spend your entire life in fear, it's hard to stop. Even when you found someone you don't have to be afraid around."

Mickey smiled, rubbing his thumb across Ian's cheek. "Just in case you didn't know, but I love everything about you." He paused to kiss his lips lightly. "I love the tail and the gills instead of ears and your beautiful colors."

Ian felt his chest tighten.

Mickey unlinked their hands, moving away from Ian's legs so he could wrap him up in his arms tightly. "I love your voice and how you speak. You're so gentle but you can be fierce when you need to be." He put Ian's hand up to his mouth, kissed it, then put it over his heart. "You're so brave, Ian. So good."

Ian pulled Mickey down by the back of his neck, crying as he listened. 

"I don't care if you have legs, or if you never did. Or if it stops." Mickey lowered his voice, feeling his heart pulse. "A tail or legs, both. One or the other. I love all of you."

"Now I'm crying." Ian sniffled, tracing Mickey's smile with his finger tips. "I can't believe how utterly wonderful you are."

One of Mickey's hands slid around Ian's side, up his chest to grip the side of his neck. "I think the most wonderful part of me, is you, Ian." He wiped away the tears. "I've never been this way before. I've never loved someone so much that it hurts."

"Love like that is magic." Ian whispered, leaning their heads together as he felt Mickey's heart pound under his palm. "Love like that is epic, it's legendary. And it's ours."

Even without the words, Mickey could feel the love between them. It pulsed like it was actually alive and breathing. Meant to be protected and cared for, cherished. Mickey knew deep down that Ian was the only one he would ever love like this.

"Kiss me." Mickey asked, not a demand but a plea. His eyes opened for a moment, searching over the human like features of Ian's face, missing the gills even when he had ears for the moment. Then he closed them. "Please?"

Ian smiled, wrapped one arm around Mickey's shoulders, the other angled his jaw up and kissed him lightly. Then again, longer each time until Mickey was whispering 'please' each time he pulled back. 

Finally, Mickey groaned into that first deep kiss. His own hand moving to angle Ian's jaw where he needed it. His other hand caressed Ian's side, over soft skin, still eager to move down. To touch more. 

"Touch me." Ian begged, his hand moving to Mickey's and put them back over the blanket on his legs. 

"Anything you want, baby." Mickey groaned, surging up again to kiss him. His hand moved lower to the edge of the blanket and slipped under slowly. "Just tell me if I need to stop."

"I will."

At the first touch of slick skin, Mickey gasped, forcing his eyes to remain closed. His skin was baby soft, slightly chilled from the shadow of the blanket. He laid his palm flat against it, squeezing a little.

"That feels good." Ian hummed, his eyes eagerly watching. 

Mickey moved up a little to his knee, making Ian gasp against his jaw. "You feel good. Soft." His fingers curled to the back of it, stroking slowly. "But I still like the tail."

Ian sighed happily, relieved. 

"More?" Mickey asked, only slightly worried about poking against Ian's ass. Just some simple leg touching already had him halfway hard. "Or I can stop."

Ian shook his head, his voice shuddering. "Don't stop."

With the go ahead, Mickey's fingers slipped up his thigh, spanning them wide to feel as much as possible. "Fuck." He hissed, happy his eyes were closed before Ian could see how lusty they were. 

"I feel you." Ian shifted a little, making goosebumps shoot up his spine. "You really like this?"

Mickey nodded, making sure to keep his fingers away from Ian's inner thigh so he didn't accidentally graze him. "I love touching you. It feels different, but good. And I should probably stop."

"Probably." Ian tightened his arm around Mickey's shoulders, his face pressed into his jaw. "But I don't want you to."

Mickey smiled.

"But I'm nervous." Ian finished, his voice low.

At that, Mickey instantly stopped, his hand moving down instead of up to rest on his shin once more. "Are you just nervous because it's new like this? Or does it feel different?"

"Because it's new. I'm different like this." Ian kissed his jaw a few times. "I think I'm just worried you won't like me this way if we touch like that."

"Baby," Mickey sighed, eager to see his face even when he knew what he'd see. "I like you this way, I like you the other way. We don't have to go any further. We have all the time in the world for that."

"Maybe when it's just us." Ian heard movement from inside. "I think they're awake."

On instinct, his arms tightened. "You're close to changing back, right?"

"Yeah, should be any minute now." Ian glanced at the morning sun. "Do you want me to move?"

"Only if you want that." Mickey tipped his head up, blindly searching for a kiss. Seconds later, Ian gave him the softest one. "Just tell me."

They could hear heavy footsteps from above, cutting their time short.

"Stay." Ian whispered, leaning into him. "But what if they come out?"

"I'll handle it." Mickey promised, knowing he was about to. 

The door opened and three sets of boots moved onto the deck. "Mick?"

"I'm fine." Mickey yelled, making Ian flinch. "Don't look in the water unless you wanna see gay sex."

Ian snorted, but heard groans from above. 

"Gross, Mick." Iggy gagged. "We need to start this shit today, you got ten minutes."

The sounds of them retreating went by quickly until the door shut and Ian sighed. "Thank you."

Mickey smiled. "You're welcome."

A few moments passed when nothing happened. Just them sitting together, sharing brief kisses, smiles, lingering touches. Until Ian let out a soft whimper and tensed in his arms.

"This is it." Ian whimpered again, gripping Mickey's shoulder hard. 

Unsure of what to do or how to make it better, Mickey just pressed their heads together and tried to breathe evenly, seeing Ian copy him. "I got you, Ian."

"Fuck, I hate this." Ian whined, putting his head in Mickey's neck as that painful tingle started at his toes and worked its way up. "Maybe I should move."

Mickey could feel scales digging into his thigh, but soft skin by his arm. Ian was literally morphing on top of him. It slowly spread up, and he could almost feel the energy, the magic. 

"It's okay, I'm fine." Mickey tightened his grip. "Just breathe, baby."

Taking Mickey at his word, Ian stayed put. Gripping him tightly as tears prickled his eyes, as it spread up to his thighs. Once again encasing them in yellow and orange scales. Ian was sure his nails had pierced Mickey's skin, and the only thing he could do was grip harder as it finished its agonizing torture. 

"Move the blanket." Ian asked, his voice only a whisper.

Mickey gripped the blanket and tossed it to the side, letting it sink to the bottom. "Better?" He asked only when Ian sagged against him, his breathing shallow, ragged.

"No, but you being here makes it better." Ian released his grip. He dipped his hand into the water and washed away the blood from his nails. "Sorry."

"You're fine." Mickey rubbed his back. "Can I see you now?"

"Yes, please do." 

Mickey opened his eyes, blinking to let his eyes adjust to the hours of darkness. Ian looked just as beautiful as he remembered, the tail especially. He smiled and slowly ran his hand down it. 

"There you are." Mickey's heart thumped when Ian blushed, then smiled. "Missed you."

Ian slipped off his lap and back into the water. He sank all the way under and took a deep, soothing breath before he came up and pulled Mickey's hand until he was in the water as well.

"I was right here." 

Mickey pulled Ian to him until their chests touched. "Missed seeing you." His eyes moved over all of him, then into the water to his glittering tail. "To me, this is you. Just you. Shiny, beautiful, all the gems." He thumbed at the ones around his eyes. "I love you."

Ian wrapped his arms around Mickey's neck, talking against his lips. "I love you, too."

The kiss was soft and slow and way over before either of them wanted it to be. 

"We are going to try to leave today." Mickey said as he pulled back. "Which means I need to go into town for a bit."

Ian nodded. "And after that, I need to swim for a while. Eat, stretch. Just be in the water."

The water seemed to agree, moving harsh waves against them before it settled. 

"We still don't know what Noah is up to, so please stay safe." Mickey cupped his face. "Stay as deep as you can baby. Don't let him get lucky."

"I promise." Ian kissed him. "When can I meet you?"

"I should be at the marina most of the day, but my boat will be swarmed with people checking to make sure I can leave." Mickey explained. "It's almost eight now. I'll try and meet you at ten."

Ian glanced up at the bright sun. "I'll be there, Mickey. I won't go far."

"If I can't get there, stay as close as possible." Mickey paused to kiss him, unable to pull away until their tongues swept together a few times. "I love you, Ian."

Ian pushed his hands into dark wet hair, pulling him impossibly closer. "I love you, too."

It was hard to watch him leave again. Mickey watched as Ian swam under the shallow water until it started to get darker, deeper. Until he could no longer see the yellow of his tail. 

Panic was there, especially after last night. After almost losing him, to Noah of all people, it was hard to watch him go. Ian had already proven he could handle himself, but what was love if you didn't let that person help you, protect you?

"He gonna be okay?" Iggy asked as he stepped onto the deck and closed the door. 

Mickey moved through the water until he could pull himself up to sit on the side. "I think he will. I'm not sure about me though."

"Let's just make this quick, yeah? Get the fuck gone before something else happens." Iggy stepped up to him, offering his hand.

Mickey took one more look at the water, then grabbed his hand and let Iggy pull him up to stand. "Yeah, let's do that."

**

"Is the world against us now?" Mickey barked as he walked away from one of his associates before he found himself jobless. "Fucking ridiculous."

Iggy jogged up behind him. "At least we can go tomorrow. They didn't count on us cutting the trip short."

They arrived over an hour ago at the docks, making sure they were all cleared to leave. Well, they hadn't been. The boat was fourth on the list for inspection and the supplies Quinn ordered last night would be there until tonight. 

They were fucked for an entire day. 

"I did not want to be stuck here after last night." Mickey rubbed his eyes, then put his sunglasses back on as he walked towards the docks. "Now we have to dodge Noah for an entire fucking day."

"It'll be easier than we think." Iggy rubbed his chin. "We ditch the hotel, find a new one on the other side so be doesn't know where we are. As soon as the boat is done, we leave."

Mickey watched his boat leave its place in the marina, the inspection guys already checking things off on a clipboard. It gave him just enough hope to stay semi calm. 

"What the hell do we do for the whole day?" Mickey asked as he glanced out at the water for any signs of Ian.

"Anything we want I think. But let's just say no deep water diving, yeah?" Iggy huffed. "We do not need a repeat of that."

"No, we don't." Mickey smiled tightly. "I'm probably just gonna spend the day with Ian close to whatever location we pick for our new hotel."

"Yeah, I figured that. Might take the boys out, look at some new gear in a few shops, lunch maybe."

Staying together would help. But if he stayed with them, Ian would be alone. 

"Maybe we can meet back at the hotel for dinner?" Mickey suggested. "I wanna get another one of those bungalow things so Ian can be close. I'm pretty sure we can cook up something edible."

It would be easy to grab food in town and eat it at the hotel. It would probably be easier than attempting to cook. But Mickey wanted them all to do it together, so they could all spend some time. So the boys could meet Ian in a normal setting. Not fighting for their lives or them neck deep exploring their sexuality, but normal stuff. 

"That's a damn good idea." Iggy grinned, squeezing Mickey's shoulder. "As long as Ian is okay with some questions."

Mickey narrowed his eyes. "Like what kind?"

"Easy man," Iggy held his hands up. "Nothing pushy. But for fucks sake, he's a mermaid. The only one we have ever seen. We got some questions."

It was hard to let his guard down. Especially now. But this was his brother, those were his friends. They would never do anything like that to Ian, or to him. 

"Shit, I'm sorry." Mickey nudged his shoulder. "Just tryin to work this shit out." He smiled when Iggy nodded. "Tonight is golden, it's gonna be a great time."

Iggy smiled. "Good. Gimme a call later, yeah? And keep your eyes open." Iggy walked away but a whistle from Mickey held him up. "What's up?"

"You hear from Mandy at all?" Mickey asked, walking back to him. "I called her the other day and she didn't answer. Just makin me worry."

Iggy pulled out his phone and checked his call log. "Not recently." He dialed the number but it went right to voicemail. "Should we call her boyfriend?"

Mickey shook his head. "I hate that guy. I'm sure she's fine. I'm just worrying too much."

"I'll try again later." Iggy bumped his fist and left.

This time, Mickey didn't stop him. He pulled out his own phone as he worked his way to one end of the dock, far away from the other boats. He dialed her number. It went to voicemail, not even a single ring.

"Hey Mandy, it's Mick. Look, some shit has happened over the last few days. And now you won't answer so I'm freakin out a little." Mickey rubbed his face. "Just call me back, or I'm gonna start callin everyone you know until you call me. I love you."

Mickey hung up, stuffed his phone back into his pocket and sat down. "Fuck." 

"Mickey?"

Mickey opened his eyes, looking down into the water to see Ian below, smiling up at him. He smiled back, but looked back and forth quickly, just to make sure he was alone. 

"Hey, baby." Mickey grinned down at him.

Ian looked spectacular. All the cuts from last night were gone, no scrapes or anything from the sharks. His skin was glowing, much like when Ian healed the wound from the tracker. He looked healthy, radiant. 

"What is it?" Ian asked, running a hand through his hair nervously. 

Mickey shook his head. "Nothin, you just look wonderful."

Ian blushed. "I feel a lot better. The water helps, swimming too, eating as well. I feel like myself."

There was nothing better than hearing that. Mickey couldn't contain how happy that made him. He laughed. One of those full bellied laughs that make your side hurt and your eyes water. 

Ian just smiled at him.

"I'm glad you feel better." Mickey said after a while, still smiling. "No trouble I hope."

"None at all." Ian looked back as the water shifted far off and he felt a boat go by. "Kept close, did what I needed to do. Been here waiting."

"Sorry it took so long." Mickey thumbed over his shoulder. "My shit won't be ready until tomorrow."

"Is that okay?"

"Not really." Mickey answered honestly. "I'd rather be halfway done with our next run that way we can head home and figure this out. But we can't rush them."

"Is there any thing we can do to be safe?" Ian asked. "Or safer?"

Mickey nodded. "Iggy mentioned us moving hotels. Somewhere on the water still but in a different place."

"Seems smart." Ian agreed. "But you don't have to get one on the water just for me. I'll be okay."

Mickey scoffed. "No way in hell, Ian. I'd never just leave you like that." Ian smiled up at him. "You gotta know I'd never do that."

"I know." Ian grinned. "But if I didn't offer, I wouldn't be me." 

"Jesus." Mickey chuckled. "If I didn't have shit in my pockets, I'd jump in and kiss you."

Ian kept grinning. "Maybe later. Hmm?"

"Oh yeah, definitely later, baby." Mickey winked. "But, it looks like we have some time to kill before then. Anything you wanna do?"

"Well, I'm glad your boat isn't ready yet. After last night we need a break from open water."

Mickey agreed. "Yeah, let's try and stay as close to land as you can go." He took a second to think about only a few ideas that would entail. "Can't do much, but we could go to the beach, keep to ourselves."

Ian nodded. "I like being by ourselves."

The flutter in his heart extended down to his stomach, making his insides tighten. "I like that, too."

"You mention staying somewhere else tonight?" Ian asked, shyly meeting his eyes. 

Mickey eyed him carefully. "Yeah. I did. Why?"

Ian shrugged. "Maybe we can go there instead? Unless your humans will be there."

Mickey swallowed thickly. "They won't, not until tonight. And we haven't even picked a place yet, so it would be just us."

"I wanted to ask you something, but I'm not sure if you'd want to or not."

His voice sounded unsure again. Like this morning when they were talking about him being human. It gave Mickey a pretty good idea of what it would be about. 

"Can I ask what it's about? Or is that a talk we need to have in private?" Mickey asked as he looked around again. It was private in the sense that they were alone. But Ian was in the water, far enough away from him so they couldn't touch. 

"I'd rather go in depth later on," Ian tipped his head back into the water, wetting his hair. "Since we are gonna be here for the night again, I wanted to take you to another one of my spots."

Mickey's eyes widened, as did his smile when that worry slipped away. "Of course I want to come with you. But not a sea cave, right?"

Ian chuckled. "No, no more of that for awhile. This place is halfway on land, a cave but you can get there from the beach and the water."

Excitement rolled off him in waves. "Can we go now?" He chuckled when Ian's smile widened.

"We could, but I'd rather wait until tonight if that's okay." Ian asked shyly, biting his lip a little when Mickey nodded. "I wanted to take you there when the change happens again."

Mickey's eyes widened as well as his mouth opening a little in surprise. He didn't mean to seem so surprised but he hadn't expected it. 

"You want to show me?" Mickey asked, his eyes moving to the water see Ian's tail moving back and forth. 

"I wanted to last night, or this morning, but we were out in the open. At least this way we won't have to keep an eye out."

"I would love to see, baby." Mickey wanted to jump down and kiss him. "Thank you for wanting to show me."

"You're most welcome, because I would never show anyone." Ian said nervously. "But you're different, Mickey. I want to show you, but I also want to explain why I'm like this."

"Is that why you want to go back to the room?" Mickey asked softly, trying to control the rapid beat of his heart. "To tell me?"

"Yeah. I think I should explain. Or maybe I should have explained a while ago, but it's just hard to talk about."

"Baby, you don't have to tell me anything unless you want to." Mickey bent down a little, trying to reach him but he was too far. "I'd rather meet and talk then go to the beach."

"Thank you." Ian smiled. "Do you have a place in mind?"

Mickey scanned through all the hotels, villas and bungalows on the island, looking for one far away from his current one. "West side of the island have a cluster of villas there."

"I've seen them. They're quite a bit bigger than the other one though." Ian observed. "You sure that's what you want?"

Mickey didn't hesitate to nod. "It'll only be for one day and night. Perks of making the shipment early is they give you a bonus." He winked, making Ian smile again. "One night won't break me."

"Should I go ahead and swim there?" Ian asked. "It shouldn't take too long."

"It'll probably take me longer to book a place, pack up my shit and get there." Mickey laughed again. "Let me just call now and book it. Just to make sure we have it and you'll know which one."

When Ian nodded, Mickey took his phone back out, quickly googled the correct number and waited for it to ring. "Yes, I need a room please." He waited as the woman on the other end of the phone chartered in his ear. "Just for today and tonight." 

Below, Mickey watched Ian move in the water. He was treading water on his back, his eyes closed, arms beside him as his tail slowly moved to keep him afloat. The sun reflected off the water in a way that made Ian's tail ten times more beautiful than it already was. 

"Yeah, whichever one is available." Mickey responded, eyes still trained down. Ian's eyes opened, catching him staring; he only smiled up at him. "How many rooms?"

"You're staring." Ian closed his eyes again, feeling the heat from Mickey's stare over the heat of the sun. 

"Because you're stunning." Mickey said as he held the phone from his mouth. 

Ian blushed. 

"Three rooms?" Mickey repeated, thinking he'd end up sleeping outside with Ian again anyway. "Yeah, that'll work. Villa five? Great, I'll be there within the hour. Thank you." Mickey hung up the phone and Ian returned to his previous position and he already missed it. 

"I'm amazed that you no longer feel the pull." Ian smiled, gripping the wood at the bottom of the dock. "You no longer try to drown yourself to get to me."

Mickey snorted. "I would drown a million people to get to you." That got Ian to blush, shying away from his look. "And I still feel it. It happens when you're around me, but I remind myself that if I want to be close to you, I can just ask."

"You don't have to ask."

"No, but it's polite." Mickey itched to touch him. "Half the time we are touching anyway. I guess my body realizes I don't need to put myself in danger to get to you."

"Well, that's only half true." Ian gave him a look, making them both think about last night. "You were about to go back in to find me, weren't you?"

"I was." Mickey answered honestly. "And it was an easy choice. I never thought twice about not going in. But you came back before I could."

"Humans are so strange." Ian shook his head. "My own kind wouldn't even risk that for me, yet someone of a different species is willing to risk their life for it."

Mickey let that flutter in his heart increase until he could hear every beat.

"It amazes me."

"Not all of us are bad baby, but it's hard to tell the difference." Mickey stood, half tempted to empty his pockets and climb down if only to steal half a dozen kisses before he had to go. "The West Villas, number five is us. I'll take me longer but I'll meet you?"

Ian nodded, swimming backwards. "I'll be there. I love you."

Mickey smiled. "Love you, baby, stay safe."

**

"Jesus." Mickey stared at the front of the Villa, in shock. 

Compared to the bungalow he stayed in, which was fancier than anything he ever stayed in before, this place was almost unreal. 

The outside looked like a mansion on the water. Two stories, the front was all windows, showing the lush, extravagant interior. It had a wrap around porch, balcony as well. Mickey could tell just from the outside that if he could afford living in a place like this, he would. 

Key in hand, Mickey unlocked the door, dumped his bags as well as Iggy, Quinn's and Knox's, on the nearest couch. He didn't care too much about the expensive furniture, or the chandeliers above. He moved right for the back door, just for shock to slap him in the face again.

The deck was nearly as big as the house, all glossy wood that slanted on one side that lead right into the water. He could see the crystal clear water lapping at the edges, welcoming him in. 

A full sized pool took up the other end. Not a chlorine pool, but one that also lead right into the water. One side was completely open, making it easy to take a dip in the pool, then swim out into the ocean.

Next to the pool was a large tower with a winding staircase that led up to the platform. The platform was the access point to the slide. Like an actual water slide, at least half a mile long, leading far enough away from the porch for it to be safe and very fun.

Mickey knew Iggy and the boys would use it to its fullest extent and it had him grinning like he was kid again, he could already hear the laughter. See the smiles. Their last day and night here would simply be about fun and family. 

Something they hadn't had in forever. 

"This is fantastic."

Mickey spun around, smile in place to see Ian sitting on the deck, his tail in the water as the deck slanted into the ocean. "Yeah, I'm loving it already."

"I think humans built this with mermaids in mind." Ian gestured to the open deck, then the open pool. "Now I can be apart of it."

Mickey instantly emptied his pockets into one lounge chair, kicked off his shoes and moved right to Ian. As he sat down, his hand was on Ian's jaw, leading him into a deep, all consuming kiss. 

Ian gripped him back, wetting the material of his shirt as he grabbed it, pulling him closer. Mickey went with it, pushing against the side of Ian's tail as the kiss deepened, until they moaned between each kiss, nipping lips. 

"Fuck," Mickey breathed as he pulled back, stroking his thumb over Ian's jaw. "Been wanting that since this morning."

Ian moved his hand down Mickey's chest, then slipped under his shirt until he could feel warm skin. "Then why are we stopping?"

"Because we need to talk," Mickey explained as he eyed his lips, the width of his shoulders and how the sun made his skin glow. "And if we keep kissing, I'll have the incredible urge to make you come again."

Ian gasped sharply, nipping at Mickey's bottom lip while he lead Mickey's hand to his tail. "I want it."

"I want it, too." Mickey put a little pressure against him, making Ian tremble against his side. "But let's hold off, yeah?" Ian nodded and he moved his hand. "Otherwise we won't get anything done."

Ian smiled as he kissed him lightly, then moved back, putting a decent amount of space between them. "And I still want to talk."

Mickey smiled as well, turning to face him as a wave wash up, soaking his jeans. "And I still want to know."

With that said, a silence spread around them. Mickey wanted to ask questions, to comment on the few things Ian told him about all of it, but didn't want to push and wanted Ian to go at his own pace, to tell the story his way. 

"Before I start, just keep in mind that this was a long time ago." Ian started, a little nervous. "I wasn't how I am now. I hadn't learned all the lessons I needed to make me who I am."

Mickey held out his hand, patiently waiting until Ian offered his own hand, linking them. "I'm not here to judge, Ian, I just want to understand."

Ian nodded, licking his lips. "As odd as it sounds, this story, or tragedy, as I like to call it, is a love story."

Mickey kept his mouth shut. Even when the idea of anyone else loving Ian made him murderous. 

"I met him over a hundred years go. Before humans tried to kill my kind, mermaids liked humans very much. It was a different world then, with different views and there were more good people than bad."

Mickey nodded, squeezing his hand. 

"I met this guy, he was nice." Ian shifted uncomfortably. "He was on the beach one day when I was close to land. At first, I stayed away, but he saw me one day and he was rather easy to talk to."

God, this was the ex's talk. Mickey only just now realized and he almost asked Ian to stop, but that wouldn't be fair. He loved Ian, Ian loved him, all that other stuff was in the past.

"It was simple for awhile. We met and talked, shared our current lives and experiences." Ian smiled fondly at the memory until the rest surfaced and his smile slipped. "It turned into more, but the distance was hard. I couldn't be on land, he couldn't stay on the water, so we kinda knew it wouldn't end well."

Mickey flinched, looking down at their hands. Moments later, his chin was being lifted by Ian's fingers, softly moving over his jaw.

"Don't think like that, Mickey." Ian pleaded softly. "He is not you. You're better than he was, in every sense of that word."

Mickey smiled and kissed his palm. "I'm okay, Ian. You don't have to do that. Just tell me."

"One day, when we met, he asked me if it was possible to be with him on land, if I would." Ian took a deep breath. "I said yes because I thought what we had was love. Little did I know, it was infatuation. Not with him, but with being human."

"Yeah, I can understand that." Mickey was pleased when Ian smiled. 

"I could see now incredible the world was, but I was trapped in the water. I wanted to experience the world, the world he made seem so amazing." Ian saw his hand shake and Mickey gripped it tighter. "He showed me pictures and things from land that I could never get on my own."

Mickey smiled because that sounded like his Ian. So curious. But unlike now, he wasn't afraid then. He wanted to be apart of his world, of their world. 

"The best thing about the human world, was a globe full of slow." Ian grinned when Mickey tilted his head. "Do you know what those are? They are tiny little worlds trapped inside glass. You shake it and snow falls, or glitter, or whatever is inside."

Mickey laughed happily. "You mean a snow globe?" Ian's eyes sparkled with excitement. "And yeah, they are pretty incredible."

Ian grew excited just because Mickey understood. "He showed me one once. It was the island we were on, a tiny palm tree inside with a poorly shaped treasure chest on the sand. But I loved it because it had a mermaid inside."

God, Ian was so fucking adorable. 

"It was a girl. She had a purple tail and yellow hair." Ian sighed wistfully. "I know it seems silly, but it was that...snow globe?" He asked, making sure he said it right and when Mickey nodded, he grinned. "It made me want to see more. To learn more. So I needed out of the water."

"I know you mentioned a curse before." Mickey said softly, noticing when Ian's eyes shifted to his for a moment before he nodded. "Was it him?"

Ian nodded again. "He said he could help me, that he could get me out of the water for good. I didn't believe him, not even when he told me to meet him the night after."

"Was he a witch or something, or is that even real?" Mickey asked Ian as much as himself. "Magic?"

"I'm not really sure how it worked. It was all a little confusing to be honest." Ian admitted easily. "When I showed up, there was a big fire going. He was dressed oddly, in a robe of some sort. He had all these items in a circle, and he kept chanting in a language I've never heard before."

That sounder very witchy. The fire, the robe, objects in a circle and the chanting most of all. But Just because mermaids were proven to be real didn't mean that witches were real. No one ever encountered one like they had a mermaid, there was no proof. 

"What happened?" Mickey asked softly. 

"It hurt." Ian whispered, remembering the feeling. "Way worse than what you witnessed. It hurt so bad that I passed out."

Mickey sighed deeply, bringing their hands up to kiss Ian's fingers. He hated knowing that Ian was in any kind of pain, especially when just talking about it seemed to hurt him. 

"When I woke up, my tail was gone and I had legs." Ian smiled a little. "It was incredible, even with the pain. He told me that I was human now, that we could be together."

"And you got to see land." Mickey offered with a smile. 

Ian nodded happily. "I did. I got to see the entire island. I got to see people walking around, kids, animals with no tails."

Mickey chuckled. 

"I slept in a bed, a real bed with soft blankets. I woke up next to him but I couldn't wait to get away."

Mickey's smile turned into a frown. "You didn't want to be with him?"

"I thought I did. I liked him, more than my kind. But I finally had legs and wanted to go see everything. I never wanted it to stop, and he didn't want to do much of that."

"What did he want you to do?" Mickey asked, clenching his teeth. 

Ian shook his head. "I don't know his true intentions, but whatever it was, I didn't want it. I think he liked me because of how I look. He wanted to do things, to touch as you and I do."

The growl was trapped in his throat. Mickey had to remind himself that this wasn't Ian's fault and he didn't want to make him feel ashamed of anything he did, or didn't do.

"It seemed like that's all he wanted." Ian continued. "Even when he said he loved me."

"I'm sorry." Mickey said softly. "Some people just do things to get what they want, instead of what the other person needs."

Ian agreed sadly. "After that, we grew apart. We only fought, half of which I didn't understand what it meant or why we fought. He was always angry, telling me he made a mistake."

It was a good thing that guy was probably dead right about now. Or he'd have the mind to track him down and beat the fuck out of him for treating Ian that way. 

"It got so bad that I didn't want to have legs anymore. He ruined how I pictured land, and humans. He turned it from something wonderful into a dark, angry place." Ian wiped his face, surprised he was crying even after all that time. "I just wanted to go home."

Mickey moved over, putting his arm around Ian's shoulders and hugged him tightly to his side. "And I'm betting he didn't like that."

Ian shook his head, nuzzling Mickey's chest. "He told me that what he did for me was a gift and if I wanted to act like it was a curse, that he'd make it one."

"He made it so you could go back into the water." Mickey said as he glanced at his tail. "But forced you to have legs for a while."

With a nod, Ian shut his eyes and led Mickey's hand to his side, making Mickey hug him. And he did. Mickey tightened his arms, keeping him safe. "I didn't know until the following morning. I was out looking for my family when it happened. I had to swim for the surface as water burned in my lungs, drowning me."

"Shhh," Mickey slowly rocked them back and forth, feeling Ian shaking as he cried. 

"I wanted to die when it happened. And I think he only did it because he wanted me to go back to him, to see that I made a mistake."

"You didn't." Mickey said quickly. "He was a greedy son of a bitch and didn't deserve you, Ian."

"I'm happy you think so." Ian turned into his chest, kissing it through his shirt. "I knew then that he never loved me. And in a way, I knew that from the start because I didn't love him like that either. But I changed after that, I wasn't the same person I was."

"Did you find your family?" Mickey asked because he knew that some life experiences were necessary to grow and evolve, even when it was bad, even when it hurt. 

Ian sniffled, moving back until he could see Mickey's concerned look. "They were dead when I found them."

Mickey's eyes widened. 

"They were hunted by a group of humans on a ship." Ian had to stop before that sob lodged in his throat worked its way out. "When we shared our stories, I told him about my family, where we came from. He used it to hurt me, told other humans were they could find monsters."

Mickey cupped his face, trying not to cry as Ian's tears slowly slid down his cheeks. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry." He put their heads together, wishing he could make it better somehow.

"It was a long time ago Mickey and I learned my lesson trusting humans which is why I am the way I am now." Ian put his hands over Mickey's, squeezing a little. "But you showed me they can be good. That they are capable of love and family, of happiness."

The first round of tears worked their way out slowly, even as he smiled at Ian's heartfelt sentiment. 

"Because with you, that's all I've ever felt. No anger or pain, just love. Just happiness and I never want it to end."

"Fuck." Mickey whispered before he kissed him. It was gentle but probably more passionate than any of their other ones. He pulled back, wiped Ian's tears again. "I am full of both anger and pain Ian. I have a past too, not as bad as that, but it's not a pretty story."

Ian wiped Mickey's tears away. "I have yet to see those things from you."

"Because you make me better. You make me happy like no one else has. I don't feel angry when I'm with you." Mickey smiled when Ian did. "I can't promise what you and I have will always seem so easy, but I would never hurt you."

"I know, Mickey." 

"I would never make you choose who you are, over being with me." Mickey continued just so Ian knew he was different. "I just want you to be happy. I want you to smile and swim and I want to see you whenever it's possible."

Ian laughed a happy, watery sound. 

Mickey laughed too, the entire mood changing into something warm and familiar as it always seemed to be with them. "And if I had it my way, I'd spend forever in the water with you."

At that, Ian's laugh died off, his eyes a little wide and watery again, but he was smiling. "If I had it my way, I'd want that too."

Without hesitation, Mickey pulled his shirt off, his skin prickling when Ian made an appreciative sound, then leaned back to wiggle out of his jeans. 

"Not that I'm complaining," Ian licked his lips as Mickey's thighs split wide enough to kick off his jeans. "But what are you doing?"

Now in only his boxers, Mickey easily slid down the ramp and into the cool water. He ducked down, wetting his hair and when he came back up, Ian was grinning at him. 

"Swim with me." Mickey said but didn't give him a choice. He gently gripped the base of Ian's tail and pulled him into the water. Ian let him, laughing until the water swallowed them both down. 

Holding his breath, Mickey watched Ian swim deeper, out of sight but he didn't come back up. Mickey had to, he breached the surface and took a big breath just as Ian sailed out of the water at least four feet, flipped and managed a perfect dive as he landed.

"Show off." Mickey smiled as Ian came back up and pulled him close by the band of his boxers. "Just wait til I get on that slide, hmm? I can show you a flip."

"You started it." Ian smiled, both of his arms wrapping around Mickey's shoulders. "Draggin me into the water."

Mickey shrugged. "Seemed like the thing to do at the time." His arms wrapped around Ian's waist, trusting him to keep them above water. "Now kiss me."

Ian kissed him. They both couldn't stop smiling, laughing even. Their teeth scraped together, which only made them smile and laugh harder and the painful story of Ian's past slipped to the back of their mind. 

Just as Mickey intended. 

"I'm surprised your humans aren't here." Ian said after the kiss, looking up into the empty house. 

"They went out for a while, but they'll be back for dinner. And speaking of, would you like to stay for it?"

Ian tilted his head. "Stay for dinner?"

It had Mickey's smile widening. "Yes, stay for dinner. Gonna cook up some food, deal with them being drunk and crazy. And I want you to stay."

"Do they want that, too?" Ian asked carefully. 

"Iggy was excited you were gonna be there, but he said he had a few questions." Mickey watched the fear cascade through Ian's smile. "Nothing invasive. But they've never seen a mermaid before."

Ian shook the look away. "I guess that makes sense."

"You don't have to answer anything you don't want to." Mickey assured with a smile. "I'm sure Iggy just wants to know if you have any girl mermaids for him."

Ian laughed. "I do know some, but I'm not sure he can handle it."

"No, definitely not. So, you want to?"

"I do." Ian answered as he kissed Mickey's nose. "As long as you're with me I wanna do all of it."

"I'm glad." Mickey leaned in for a kiss, one that started off slowly but at the end it had him gripping Ian's shoulders, panting into his mouth. "Then after we can go to your spot?"

Ian licked his lips. "Yeah, it's not far from here and you can drive to the beach and walk the rest of the way."

They broke apart and swam a little, staying close. "Do I need to bring anything?"

Ian narrowed his eyes. "Well, we'll be there overnight. So, just what you might need until then. Clothes or food, water maybe."

Unlike their last trip, Mickey had a feeling this would be rather smooth. Just them, he was able to leave at any time and not worry about Noah taking his boat again. 

"Sounds good." Mickey smiled again and splashed water towards Ian. The small wave brushed against chin, making him smile. "Oh shit, I almost forgot something."

"Oh, no. Is it bad?" Ian asked, worried.

"No, not at all. I meant to grab it last night but with all the stuff we did…" He paused, responsible for the heat that rose to both their faces. "I kinda spaced it."

"What is it?"

Mickey swam to the dock, pulling himself up until only his legs dangled in the water. Ian swam in front of him. "I left it inside. Gonna run and go get it."

Ian nodded, bending to kiss his knee quickly. "I'll be here."

Mickey leaned down enough to kiss him, then got up and moved in wet boxers through the nice house until he reached his bags. He pushed all the clothes away, bathroom items too until he found a small chest. He grabbed it, opened the lid to make sure it was all there, then closed it and headed back outside.

"Okay, so it's kind of a surprise." Mickey said as he walked outside, the chest hidden behind his back. Ian was sitting on the deck like before, smiling at him. "So, you have to close your eyes."

Ian's eyes closed instantly. "I'm not sure I like surprises if I can't see it."

Mickey sat down beside him, bringing the box to his lap. "It adds to the suspense."

"When can I open them?" 

"Just a second." Mickey turned to face him fully, that way when Ian looked down, he would see it instantly. "Okay, you can open them."

With a smile, Ian opened his eyes and looked right into excited blue eyes. "My my," Ian brushed Mickey's wet hair back. "My human is beautiful."

"Oh, stop." Mickey laughed. "I am not the surprise." He held the chest up a little until Ian glanced down. "This is."

Ian gasped as he looked at the chest. "Oh, a smaller version of a treasure chest. I like those very much." Ian moved closer, studying the box from all angles. "Normally there is gold inside, or coins, gems, cups too which is odd. Why is a cup a treasure?"

Mickey chuckled. "Ian, you think shells are treasures."

"Of course they are. They're from the sea, not just dumped into it." He said as if Mickey should know that. "Each one is different and beautiful."

Mickey leaned forward to kiss him, even as he kept ranting about shells. "I love it, baby."

Ian blushed. "Is this one full of human treasures?"

Mickey shook his head. "Nope. All that's inside came from the ocean. I bought the little box this morning to hold them all so they didn't get lost."

Ian wiggled closer. "I'm excited!!" 

Mickey slowly opened the lid and watched Ian's entire face light up with a new kind of excitement. Inside the box, were all of Ian's treasures from his underwater cave. He grabbed them when Ian had been away, just because that location was lost and Ian hadn't given them a second thought.

"These are mine." Ian gasped softly as the tips of his fingers touched the coins. "I thought I lost them."

Mickey shook his head. "I grabbed them when you were gone. I didn't want you to forget about them."

Ian wiped his eyes, looking away from the box and into beautiful kind eyes. "I had forgotten them. I was so worried that I just left when we could."

It was precious how Ian cried over it. Over rusty coins and a few broken shells, even the gems weren't in good condition, but it was Ian's and he loved them. He left them willingly to save him, to save both of them. 

"You can keep the box if you'd like." Mickey finally replied and handed the box to him. Ian's hands shook. "It's not safe to go back, and I think I knew that before I grabbed them."

Ian closed the box and held it to his chest as the tears fell. He was so happy and grateful to have them back. In awe of the fact that Mickey selflessly gave them over, saved them just because he liked them. 

"I don't know what to say." Ian said after a minute but the tears distorted his words. "I've lost some before and I was sadder than I should have been."

"You don't have to say anything, baby." Mickey kissed Ian's cheek. "And if I lost something like that, something that meant as much as those do for you, I'd be sad too."

Ian gently set the box down and practically threw himself into Mickey's arms. He squeezed him hard, kissing over the side of his neck. "Thank you so much."

Mickey hugged him back, one hand smoothing red hair down. "You're welcome."

"God." Ian's breath hiccuped as he pulled back and cupped Mickey's face. "This is way better than that snow globe."

Mickey grinned. It had to have been the most powerful comment he'd ever received and it produced a smile just as powerful. "I have one more surprise for you, but it's not a snow globe."

Ian wiped the tears away. "Another one? But you already gave me one."

"Yes, I did." Mickey held the other in his fist behind his back. "But you gave me that scale and I never gave you something back and now I want to."

"I guess you're right." Ian said because he knew Mickey would give it to him no matter what. "It won't fit in here?" He eyed the box.

Mickey shook his head. "It's a little bigger than the box and this is something you wear." He pulled it from behind his back, showing it to him. "You know what it is?"

Ian's eyes were wide again as he looked over it. "It's a small clock."

With a big smile, Mickey nodded. "Kind of. It's a watch." He held it out for Ian to see. 

It wasn't like those big clunky watches men like to buy. But it wasn't one that Mandy might buy either. It was in between and perfect for Ian. 

It was gold plated, with a medium sized band that had little white gems spaced around it. The face of the watch was an oval shape, with delicate ticking hands in the center. 

"It's beautiful." Ian reached out to touch it but took his hand back. "You want me to have it?"

Mickey nodded and took it off the base. "Saw it this morning and instantly thought about you." His face saddened because this was about as girlie and sentimental as he could possibly get. 

"It's ticking." Ian turned his ear to it, listening. "I know it tells time but I never learned how."

Mickey quickly explained the easiest way to tell the time. Showing him which each hand meant. Ian could already tell the time from the sun or the moon, but Ian hadn't looked away from it. 

"Best thing is, is that it's waterproof." Mickey smiled when Ian looked a little skeptical. "Promise. You can take it under water with you and not worry about it getting ruined."

"Can I put it on?" Ian asked, his wrist already extended. "It's very shiny."

With a happy chuckle, Mickey quickly undid the little clasp in the back and wrapped it around Ian's wrist. "Yeah, it is. But I happen to know you like all things shiny."

Ian blushed and turned his wrist to look at it as soon as Mickey was done. He slowly watched the little hands tick by, over and over again. "It's very smoothing."

"I'm glad." Mickey thumbed his cheek until Ian leaned into it. "It might help with the times we have to meet."

Ian agreed with a smile. "You're too sweet Mickey. Thank you, I think it's wonderful."

When Ian moved closer, putting one palm against his chest as he pushed him down to the deck, he went with it. Moving until Ian was hovering over him, his tail lined up with his legs. 

"I would like to say thank you." Ian's voice was low as he looked at Mickey's lips. "Or show you."

Mickey groaned and moved one arm to grip Ian's back, holding him tight. "You don't have to do that, baby."

Ian propped up over him, one arm under Mickey's neck, the other low on his side. "And if I want to?" He asked as he dipped his head down to kiss over his neck. "Then what?"

The simple touch alone was enough to make him hard and he knew Ian could feel it. "Then there is no way I can stop you." Mickey groaned, his hand moving down to Ian's lower back. Not on that spot, but close to it. 

Ian's mouth moved to his ear, sucking on it softly until Mickey groaned. "I want to use my mouth again." 

"Fuck." Mickey groaned, his hips pushing up against Ian's tail. "You want to?"

Ian was already moving down as he nodded, kissing Mickey's chest, licking the water off his skin. "I loved seeing you like that."

Mickey's head was heavy as he rose up on his elbows and glanced down. Ian's hands were on his sides, his mouth moving eagerly across his hips. "I can't wait until I can give you the same thing."

Ian groaned, closing his eyes. "I'm not sure I'd be able to handle that." A wave rushed around him and his eyes opened enough to watch the watch get covered. And still it worked. He glanced up to see Mickey smiling. "Yeah, I need to say thank you."

Mickey spread his legs, unable to say no, even when he knew it still wasn't fair. "Okay, but after I'm gonna get you."

Ian groaned this time, rubbing his face against him, his fingers hooked into his clothes. "Can you use your mouth again?"

One hand moved into Ian's hair, gripping it lightly. "Oh yeah, anything you want."

"Jesus!!" 

Mickey managed to twist his head back long enough to see Iggy standing at the door, a horrified look on his face. Mickey groaned and dropped back to the deck, pulling Ian up with him. 

"You have the worst fucking timing." Mickey grouched, letting Ian hide in his neck when his face flamed. "Knocking would be nice."

Iggy snorted, arms crossed over his chest. "Well, my fucking bad. If I knew it was blow job time, I'd have brought someone to blow me."

"Just give us a second, yeah?" He glanced at Iggy, then to Ian who still wouldn't look up. "Please."

"Fine. One fucking minute and if that's all it takes I'm gonna be seriously disappointed."

Mickey didn't reply to that. He only waited for the door to close before he rolled Ian over onto his back so he could see him. "Sorry. He really does have bad timing."

Ian nodded, smiling shyly. "At least he didn't actually see anything."

Mickey smiled too, leaning down for a kiss. "If he did, I'd have hit him. Don't want anyone seein you like that. That's only for me."

"Later?" Ian asked, liking his answer. 

"Yeah," Mickey say up, helping Ian sit up beside him. "Definitely later. Hungry?"

Ian's eyes roamed the front of Mickey's bare chest, forcing him to lick his lips before he answered. "Yeah, starving."


	12. Human

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 12- Human

"They are really loud."

Mickey tightened his arm around Ian, pulling him closer as they sat in the pool. "Yeah, they are but that's because they started drinking."

Just as he said it, Iggy went sailing off the slide, hovering in midair for a moment before he crashed into the water. 

"And the slide, that's half the reason." Mickey grinned. 

Iggy came up, laughing as he swam back to the dock. 

"It does look fun." Ian smiled, looking up to the tower. "Are you gonna go?"

"Not at the moment. I like it right where I am." His voice grew deep, heated. Ian gave that shy smile, eying his lips.

After Iggy interrupted Ian trying to blow him, they put a lock on their libidos and helped get everything set up. From the food being brought from inside to the outside table, drinks, music from Quinn's boombox, it was enough to distract them from each other.

Ian offered to help, even if the only thing he could actually do was sit on the deck and watch. Mickey declined the offer with half a dozen kisses and made sure to do his best to hurry so he could get back to Ian. 

It moved along fast, which was surprising considering Iggy didn't help. Quinn was in charge of the grill and the food, Knox supplied the beer and smokes, keeping them from getting wet. Iggy made his way to the slide before he could even take the first drink of his beer and Mickey was happily relaxing in the pool with Ian nearly on his lap. 

For them being from different worlds, only meeting under the worst circumstances, it was working. The guys introduced themselves, as did Ian, and he hadn't sounded afraid when he talked to them. The guys did their best not to stare at him for too long, but stole looks when they could. 

It was nice, friendly. Mickey couldn't have been happier about it.

"I like it, too."

Ian's voice pulled him from his surroundings, to the soft sound of his voice next to him. "Wish you could go up though. I think you'd go way higher than Iggy would."

Grinning, Ian glanced at Iggy. "I might, but someone would have to carry me and that wouldn't work."

Mickey shrugged. "Quinn is a big guy, Knox too, bigger than me or Iggy. I'm sure they'd be able to do it."

"I'm bigger than you." Iggy flipped them off as he walked across the deck, eyes set on the slide. 

"Yeah sure, keep thinkin that." Mickey joked, making Ian laugh into his ear. Then he turned his attention back to their discussion. "Wanna ask em?"

Ian shook his head. "My tail is way too long and I'm heavier this way. And I'm not sure I want them to toss me over their shoulder like that."

An irritated sound worked its way up his throat. Even from his spot across the deck, Mickey could see how massive Quinn's arms were. Bigger than one of his thighs and he would be more than capable of tossing Ian over his shoulder.

But no. Fuck no. The images that came after that initial toss moved through his mind like plague. Putting him on edge. 

"Yeah, no. Forget that shit." Mickey clenched his jaw, making Ian's eyes narrow in confusion. "No way in hell is he tossing you anywhere, especially not over his shoulder."

Quinn looked up from the grill, watching them from behind dark tinted glasses. 

"Not like that, Mickey." Ian gave a little laugh and reached to cup his face, turning it towards him. "Never like that with anyone besides you."

"I sure as hell hope not." Mickey let his touch soak into his cheek, sinking down into his bones. "Talk about something else."

"Save the nasty talk, please?" Knox begged, then motioned to the entire table of beers. "At least until we drink this shit and won't remember it."

"I'd never talk to him like that with you assholes around." Ian tensed beside him, hiding a little in his neck. "I'd wait until we were alone so you couldn't see how much he blushes."

Iggy did what he always did, he gagged. 

"Oh, shut it," Mickey tossed his bottle cap at him, happy when it bounced off his head before it landed. "I gotta listen to you all and your girlfriends or fuck buddies or one night stands. Droning on about shit I don't care about, at least you can do the same."

"Mick…"

"Not that I'd tell them." Mickey finished quickly. "Wouldn't give them that image cuz it's for us."

"Gay." Iggy muttered, but ended up laughing. "Food done yet? I'm starving."

"It'll be done in a minute. Just sit down before I let you starve."Quinn shooed him with the heavy duty spatula."

Mickey ignored Iggy and Quinn, focusing on Ian and the hand on his thigh, shockingly close to his groin. "You okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Ian asked with a smile. 

Mickey glanced down, making Ian follow his lead. "Just making sure. Wandering hands?"

Blushing hotly, Ian moved his hand down Mickey's leg. "Sorry."

"I didn't say move it." Mickey moved it back up, pressing his hand over Ian's hard to keep it there. "I like it there."

That shy smile remained on his lips. "Maybe we should swim? That way I won't be tempted to do it again."

Mickey leaned over until his mouth was close to Ian's. "Please, be tempted. We never got to finish what we started."

"What I started."

"Yes, what you started." Without making the water slosh around, Mickey pushed Ian's hand the rest of the way up his leg until the tips of his fingers brushed his groin. "Fuck, I love when you touch me."

At that, Ian pulled him into a kiss with one hand tangled in his hair. Mickey came willingly, arching up to reach his lips, turning his body more towards Ian. Offering himself without a second thought. 

"Come swim with me." Ian said as Mickey sucked on his bottom lip. "I wanna touch you."

With a twist of his hips, Ian's hand slid up the rest of the way until his palm was covering his cock. They let out identical groans. "You are touching me."

Ian breathed deeply, shaking his head. "We can go under the house where they can't see us."

"And what would we do under there?" Mickey asked, canting his hips up to rub against his hand. 

Ian gave a wicked smile. "I can use my mouth, just like I was trying to do. And I can breathe underwater."

"Fuck." 

Images of Ian blowing him under the water nearly had him sinking to the bottom of the pool. It would be easy to tread water while Ian takes care of him, unable to be seen or interrupted. 

"Please?" Ian nipped at his ear, pulling it with his teeth. "I miss the way you taste."

A desperate sounding groan worked its way up, altering the others. All eyes moved to them and Mickey forced himself to stay still and not grind against Ian's hand. 

"Come on, Mick." Iggy pleaded, hands clasped together in front of him. "Try and hold off."

"You have no idea how hard I'm trying." Mickey whimpered from the painfully good nips Ian took at his neck. Then his jaw. "God."

"Ian, please!!" Iggy pleaded with him as well. "Food first, then sex?"

Ian pulled out of his neck, smiling. "Food first, then sex." He agreed.

Mickey sagged back against the poolside, itching with the need for more. Eager for it. Wanting nothing more than to skip the food part and head out to Ian's spot and be alone. 

"Thank fuck." Iggy grabbed two fresh beers and moved to the pool. "Here."

When Mickey didn't move to grab them, Ian swam to the other side quickly. Making Iggy gasp, eyes wide. "I'm not sure I'll like this."

"It's good, trust me." 

Ian took them both and swam to Mickey's side, handing one off. "Is it really good?"

Mickey popped both tops, shrugging. "Yes and no. The more you drink the better it tastes but not everyone likes it."

Ian sniffed the bottle, scrunching his nose. 

"You don't have to. He was just being nice."

"I kinda want to."

Mickey took the first drink, watching Ian watch his throat as he swallowed. He didn't taste it and it didn't quench his thirst. 

"Food!" Quinn yelled and closed the grill. 

"I'm not sure I like it." Ian said after he took a drink, eying the clear bottle, then took another drink.

"Just drink it slow. Your body is gonna have zero tolerance for that." Mickey set his bottle down and stood, putting Ian eye level with his left hip. 

"Mickey, I thought we had to eat first." Ian couldn't take his eyes away. 

"We do, which is what I'm going to get." Mickey was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. "Swim to the other end and I'll bring it, yeah?"

Ian swam around until he was directly in front of him, looking all the way up. Green eyes full of mischief. "I'm not really hungry for food."

That ache flared up in his body, mostly coming from neglected parts of his anatomy. As good as blow jobs were, Mickey was a bottom for a reason. He needed his ass played with, even more so than his cock. 

At some point, with all this sexual tension going on with Ian, Mickey needed to make some alone time to satisfy that other need. Even with Ian's offer to help, he hadn't been able to give in.

Mickey reached down, his hand pushing into red hair until he had a firm grip on the back of his neck and pulled Ian's face against his hips, just inches from his cock. "You're tempting me."

Ian was busy kissing his way across Mickey's hips, sucking the salt water off his skin. His hands gripped the back of Mickey's legs, squeezing. "You're tempting me, too."

For a fleeting moment Mickey thought about pushing his swim shorts down and allowing himself to feel the back of Ian's throat, but there was no way he wanted Iggy and the boys to see Ian like that. Not even if the only thing they saw was bobbing red hair. 

"Later, I promise." His grip tightened, making Ian look up at him. 

Ian backed up, swimming to the far end. "I'll hold you to that."

Mickey made his way to the stairs on shaky legs and climbed out. "Please do."

Iggy and Knox already had their plates. They sat at the table together at the table, not even five feet from Ian and the pool, engrossed in some deep, meaningful conversation. 

Mickey snatched a towel off one of the chairs and wrapped it around his hips. More to conceal his groin, then walked up to Quinn with a smile. 

"I like him." Quinn grabbed a plate and piled it high with food. Steak, ribs, shrimp, some cooked vegetables and baked potatoes. "It's kinda hard not to stare at him though."

Mickey grinned, taking the plate from him. "Yeah, tell me about it. My ass nearly drowned a few times cuz I looked so hard."

"Kinda like what Iggy did. Asshole fell right into the water." Quinn snickered, making Mickey laugh.

"Yeah, Igg has no self control at all. I'm sure he would actually drown if you guys hadn't been there."

"I would not!" Iggy yelled with his mouthful. 

Ian just grinned from the pool. 

"I'm sure the moment we all sit down, they're gonna be blasting him with questions." Quinn gave him a knowing look. 

"I know. And a few are fine but this is not going to turn into an interrogation. He has a hard time trusting humans with sensitive shit like that."

Quinn's eyebrows rose. "Did something happen? Aside from Noah, I mean."

"Yeah, some bad shit. He told me before you guys showed up." Mickey heard Ian's laugh above Knox's deep grumble. Ian was laughing at something he said, or did and Mickey had to smile too. "Just try and keep them to a minimum, yeah?"

"It's not me you gotta worry about, Mick."

He gripped Quinn's shoulder, squeezing. "Yeah, I know. Come on."

By the time Mickey made it to the table, the laughter died down and Knox went back to eating. Ian sat on the ledge of the pool with his tail dangling in the water, taking up nearly half of the pool.

"I just wanted to warn you, in a few seconds my colors will change."

Mickey sat down next to him and glanced up at the sky. Darkness was pushing the sun away, showing them a few stars before it would be completely dark. 

"Do you need to swim away for it?"

"Not normally. Unlike my other change, this one doesn't hurt. I just don't want them to freak out."

"I can tell them, give them a heads up?" Mickey offered and put his hand on Ian's tail. Slowly running it down, with the scales, soothingly. "Whatever you want."

Ian lifted his tail, watching the remaining sunlight shine off of them. "We probably should."

"Yeah, I think so too." Mickey tipped his head up for a kiss or two, then bumped their noses together before he turned. "Hey guys?"

All three of them looked up, mouths stuffed, the talking and laughter dying down. Beside him, Ian turned enough so the upper part of his tail was out of the water, shimmering under the sunset. 

"In a few seconds, Ian's tail is going to change colors." Their eyes widen. "He just wanted to give you a warning."

Iggy swallowed quickly, almost choking before he washed it back with beer. "Like from yellow to blue, like the other night?"

"Yeah. We know you saw both colors but you didn't actually watch the change." Mickey squeezed Ian's hand when he pressed it into his side. "It's nothing major or but no screeching like girls or anything."

"Can we watch?" Knox asked, rising up from the table. 

Mickey turned to Ian, who took a moment but nodded. "Yeah, just don't touch and can that overexcitement shit."

Iggy groaned. "Jesus, fine. It's not like we're watchin him strip."

"It's happening." Ian said loud enough for all of them to hear. He moved his tail over, giving them a good look. 

"Holy shit!! Knox cursed, eyes wide. 

Mickey didn't watch the change, even when watching yellow change to blue and green was something he always wanted to see. Instead he made sure the others didn't freak out, or scream. So far so good, but Quinn surprised him by coming closer. 

"Does it hurt?" Quinn asked quietly. 

"Not really. I'm sure it used to but it's been happening so long I don't notice." Ian swished it around, like he shook the colors off into the water. 

"Why does it change in the first place?" Iggy asked this time, he also moved closer. 

As the questions started to roll in, Mickey would leave it up to Ian to answer them in his own way, with his own words or if he wanted to answer at all. Of course Ian looked at him at each question, possibly looking for support. 

Mickey always answered with a soft smile, which Ian returned, then answered. 

"It changes to keep us safe." Ian paused as all eyes moved from his now blue tail, up to meet his eyes. "Humans, hunters; if they are looking for one mermaid but see another, then another, all with changing colors, it makes it hard to track."

"Wow, that makes a lot of sense." Iggy smiled. "Don't need to give those assholes a leg up on this."

Mickey grinned. 

"They seem to have enough help catching and killing us, so I ask that you keep this...and all I tell you, to yourself."

The warning was there, even in the soft, gentle way Ian said it. Mickey couldn't help but be proud that Ian warned them, just to make sure he was safe and if the boys ever told anyone, he knew he could deal with it if Ian didn't. 

"Yeah, of course." They answered together, again making Mickey smile. 

"Thank you." Ian smiled at them, then leaned his head against Mickey's shoulder and said it to him as well, for his ears only. 

"Anytime, baby." Mickey whispered back and kissed the side of Ian's temple. When he glanced up, all eyes were on him, wide, their mouths open a little. "What?"

"N-nothing." Iggy cursed as he stuttered. "I'm just not used to seeing you open."

Mickey rolled his eyes. "You act like I don't have a gentle bone in my body."

"Uh…" Iggy just trailed off, but everyone got his point. "Mick, I'm your brother and I've never seen you like this."

"Because Ian is different." Mickey snapped, hoping that they all kept their traps shut on his less than impressive sex life. "Doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that shit."

Ian grinned, trying to push it away by biting his lip but he was more than pleased with that answer. 

"Yeah, that's becoming clear." Iggy smiled, no longer surprised, but looking as if he should have realized it sooner, then did and couldn't stop smiling. "So, how's this work then?"

Ian's head tilted. "How does what work?"

Mickey shook his head. "That is not what we are talking about."

Iggy huffed. "Why not? It's a good question. I don't wanna know who catches or anything, shit, he has a tail."

Mickey looked over in time to see Ian's eyes widen. His mind finally pieced together the meaning behind Iggy's words and clearly he didn't think they'd be asked that question. 

"What he has is none of your business." Mickey hissed, moving closer to Ian like he was about to mark his territory. "You don't ask details man. Don't ask, don't fucking tell."

"That rule applies for hook-ups man. I don't wanna know about that." Iggy looked from side to side, getting curious looks in return. "I know how all that normal gay shit works, but again, he has a tail."

"Stop talking about his tail." Mickey snapped, wanting to reach over and block the beautiful sight from them. "And that shit is between me and Ian. You don't need to know."

"Obviously, intercourse is not possible like this." Ian surprised everyone by saying. His voice calm, his emotions under control. "But there are other things to do."

Mickey looked away from Ian to see all three of them practically on their knees like it was story time at school. Eyes wide, ears wide open, eager to hear whatever Ian had to say. 

It was hard to tell if it was the words Ian chose to say, or the way he said it, or if it was just that pull again, pulling all three of them closer. Either way, Mickey didn't like it. Not one bit. 

"And as Mickey said, that is for the both of us to enjoy and explore." Ian smiled, enjoying their defeated looks and Mickey's radiant smile. "It's not polite to ask such intimate things."

"No, it's not." Mickey waved his hand in front of their eyes, attempting to break them out of the trance. He snapped, making them blink and glance around. "Self control guys, seriously."

Two of them moved back, shaking their heads to clear them, to think about what happened and how to keep it from happening again. Quinn on the other hand didn't seem to realize he was inches away from touching Ian's tail. 

Mickey reached out so fast and gripped his thick wrist in a painful hold, only inches from Ian's tail. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Ian moved his tail back into the water, surprised by the action itself. 

"What?" Quinn asked, meeting his eyes. 

"Check your hands, man." Mickey looked down and watched Quinn follow. His eyes widened and he took his hand back. "I'd hate to break your wrist before we head out tomorrow but don't do that shit again."

"I'm sorry, Mick." Quinn said before he looked to Ian. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

Ian blushed, then tried to swipe it off his cheeks by rubbing it against his shoulder. "It's okay. Just an accident."

"I don't even remember moving."

Mickey let out the breath he'd been holding and tried to calm that territorial side inside him. "It happens man. To all of us."

"Damn, Quinn," Iggy punched his arm, wincing when the punch hurt his hand more than anything else. "Just ruin the damn mood while trying to cop a feel."

Mickey rolled his eyes. "Least he didn't fall off a boat."

The round of laughter seemed to break the tension. Quinn smiled, as did Ian, even when his cheeks still looked a little pink. Why was he blushing so much? 

It only seemed to happen when Quinn spoke to Ian. Which wasn't often, but maybe he was intimidated? Quinn was one fuck of a big man, even when his personality resembled that of a cuddly puppy. 

"Fuck you," Iggy said even as he grabbed his stomach, cramped from laughing. "We are all gonna fuck up a few times while we get used to this."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Mickey responded with a smile and wrapped his arm around Ian's shoulders. "Let's eat before more questions."

"Wait." Iggy spoke up, getting everyones attention. "You know chicks right? Like girl mermaids?"

Ian nodded. "Of course. Why?"

Mickey groaned. 

"Think I could meet one?"

Quinn and Knox snorted, shaking their heads as they went back to eating. 

Great. Now Iggy wanted his own mermaid. 

"Why would you want that?" Ian asked, eyes curious. 

Iggy blushed. "Cuz I think it would be cool to meet one. Maybe she'll like me."

"Fat chance." Mickey huffed but Ian lightly slapped his chest. 

"Don't be mean." Ian told Mickey before addressing Iggy again. "And I'm not sure if that's a good idea Iggy. It's not easy to resist that pull and you haven't done a good job yet."

"He fell face first!" Quinn barked out a laugh. 

"You, try and be nice too." Ian deepened his voice and Quinn's laughter died down, then looked at Iggy. "Maybe when you get used to me we can talk about it."

Mickey kissed Ian's temple. Unsure if Ian meant what he said but happy he was being nice about it, like he did everything else. It's just who Ian was. 

Iggy nodded, a small smile on his face. "Thanks Ian. Better get to workin on it soon. If they look half as good as you do I'll be in love."

When Ian blushed, Mickey growled at him. It seemed to usher Iggy away from them, and back to the table. "You're too nice to him."

"I'm always nice, Mickey and I kinda like him. He's nice when he wants to be."

"Only you would say that." Mickey kissed him again. "Now can the questions while we eat."

They agreed and moved back to the table to eat, poking fun at each other, laughing. Quinn couldn't stop smiling, but blushing as well as giving Ian glances. Harmless, but it had Mickey's skin prickling. 

"Ignore them." Ian cupped Mickey's face, turning it in his direction. "Food?"

"Yes, food." Mickey kissed his smiling lips and picked the plate up. "Ever eat any of this stuff before?"

Ian looked over the plate, head tilted. "I'm not one for meat, it doesn't sit well with my stomach. But I've seen shrimp, alive of course."

Laughter bubbled up his chest before he could reply. "Yeah, I guess we didn't think that one through. Fuck, I'm sorry."

"No need to be. Everyone has to eat, myself included." Ian picked up a dead shrimp and scrunched his nose, but wiggled it at him. "Open up."

His mouth opened and he took the shrimp from Ian's fingers, licking the pads of them on purpose to hear him gasp. Their eyes never wavered from each other as he slowly chewed it, then swallowed. 

When Mickey offered Ian one, pinched between two of his fingers, he held his breath as Ian's mouth opened, green eyes on him, and took it from them. 

"Fuck." Mickey whispered. Ian had his hand gripped in his own, slowly sucking on his fingertips. "Trying to keep the game honest, hmm? I tease you, you tease me."

With a smile, Ian released his hand. "I'll only do to you what you do to me. That's fair, no?"

"Yeah, that's fair." Mickey breathed heavily and offered Ian another one, nearly vibrating when he repeated the same actions. "I love your mouth."

"I can tell." 

With the shrimp gone, Mickey watched excitedly as Ian grabbed the fork and pushed it into a piece of steak, then moved it to his mouth. 

Mickey took it, letting his teeth scrape against the fork until goosebumps rolled up both their arms. "Want to try?" He asked after. 

"Better not. It'll make it hard to swim later."

"Vegetables then?" Mickey picked up a piece and waited.

Ian shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to try."

It was torture. Watching Ian eat little pieces from his fingers, his pink tongue always snaking out for a better taste, taunting him, teasing him. It went on between them until the plate was empty. 

"I'm not gonna be able to take much more." Mickey was panting against Ian's lips, so worked up his entire body ached. "I need you."

"I need you, too." Ian whispered before he kissed him quickly, then slid into the pool. "Come here."

Mickey dropped the plate and slid into the pool before the words left Ian's lips. He swam to the other side, to Ian waiting there, arms resting back against the length of the pool. The moment he was in reach, Mickey crowded him, getting as close as Ian's tail would allow. 

"I'm here."

Ian slipped his hands into the water, rubbing them against Mickey's sides under the water. "Yes you are."

Groaning, Mickey pushed his groin against the front of Ian's tail, in need of a little friction. "You ask me in here to feel me up?"

Ian nodded, eyes drawn to Mickey's chest and how the water dripped down it. "Intimate things are better kept private."

The continued chatter behind him let Mickey know they went unnoticed for the moment. They'd catch on quick, probably get one earful too many, and hassle them after. 

"Feel away." Mickey said just before he kissed him, muffling their moans as their lips met over and over again. 

Below the water, Mickey could feel Ian's hands start to wander. First at his sides, then down his stomach, then his hips. At that, the moan couldn't be muffled and a deep sound erupted from his chest. 

"Shh, don't let them hear you." Ian said between desperate kisses but never stopped moving his hands lower. "Those sounds are only for me."

"Fuck, you know I can't help it." Mickey whined, butting their heads together. "It feels too damn good."

"Keep quiet." Was Ian's only response, aside from his sly smile. 

When Ian's hand went lower, slipping beneath his shorts, Mickey's eyes rolled back and that coming moan got trapped in his throat. Ian handled him with ease, with confidence. Those eager fingers wrapped all the way around him, squeezing perfectly. 

"No noises at all, I'm impressed." Ian grinned. 

"Don't be." Mickey choked out, interrupted by that moan when Ian started stroking him. "The noises are about to come, God."

"I want to try something." Ian whispered, still pressed into his lips as they parted. "Can I?"

Mickey didn't know what it could possibly be, and to be honest he didn't care. There was nothing he would tell Ian no to, nothing. He wanted it all. 

"Whatever you want." Mickey began to move, sliding in and out of Ian's closed fist. "Just don't stop."

"I won't."

The only thing he noticed immediately was Ian undoing the string of his shorts, making them slip down a little. Giving them more room. Then Ian's other hand slid along his hip, then the side of his ass. 

"Ian." Mickey gasped, unable to speak as webbed fingers inched towards his ass. "Ian."

"Let me, please?" Ian asked, gripping his butt firmly to make sure he knew. "I'll be careful."

"Oh, my God." Mickey whined, his head now tipped up to the dark sky. His entire body was begging for it. Shaking. "I want it so fucking bad but if you do, they'll hear me."

"Kiss me then." Ian let his fingers play along the crack of Mickey's butt. "I see how much you need it."

His resolve was all but gone. He was hesitant at first due to the boys hearing, or seeing it, but the need was so much greater than any fear of being caught. 

"Just for a minute." Mickey finally answered, making Ian smile. "Go slow, one at a time."

Ian had always been a quick learner, in all things. This included. To help, Mickey hiked up one leg, letting it rest on Ian's hip, spreading himself. 

"I still think about watching you that night. The look on your face was overwhelming Mickey." A shiver danced across Ian's body. "How you moved and the response after was just...God, it was incredible."

"You talking like that is gonna make me come." Mickey warned, laughing nervously. "Fuck, it could happen at any time."

"I better get to it then."

At that, they were back on track. With Ian's fingers teasing him, only this time they didn't just tease, but slid between his cheeks, his soft webbed fingertips brushing against his hole. 

"Oh…" Mickey shut his eyes, sinking, drowning in lust over one little touch. "Just like that. Nice and slow."

"You're shaking."

Mickey's eyes opened, only they were lidded, foggy. "So are you."

"From excitement." Ian offered, rubbing over him again. "I want to make you feel as good as you make me."

"You have Ian, you already have." Mickey promised. His hands moved off the poolside, now gripping Ian's wide shoulders. "No one has ever made me feel so good."

Ian kissed him, tasting him. "You deserve more."

"I want more."

"Tell me."

Mickey moved one hand back, holding Ian's wrist. "Might be hard since your fingers are webbed, but you might be able to."

"I have to try."

"I know." Mickey said seconds before Ian kissed him again, sucking on his tongue until he groaned. 

The moment Ian started to add a little pressure, Mickey really hoped he had enough self control to stay quiet. He didn't want Ian to stop because they got caught, but he couldn't stop and leave to be alone either. He was desperate. 

"Fuck. Fuck." Mickey hissed. The tip of Ian's finger was inside him and already it felt better than any of those blow jobs. "Yeah, that's good."

Ian kissed across Mickey's exposed jaw, then his throat, sucking the water off him. "You're very tight, Mickey. Squeezing me."

His other hand shot down into the water, putting his hand on top of Ian's, which still held his cock and squeezed. Backing his oncoming orgasm down. It was too fucking soon to blow. 

"I'm tight because I haven't been fucked in a long time." Mickey regretted the words as they passed his lips. Ian's eyes opened exponentially wide, his head tilting a little. "Fuck. Forget I said that."

"No. Tell me." Ian pushed in a little deeper, gasping at the tightness. "Is that what male humans do to other male humans?"

"Ian…" Mickey whined again. 

"I want to know." Ian said firmly. "I am attracted to the same sex, Mickey but you know intercourse doesn't work like that for my kind."

This is not how he wanted to have this talk. Mickey only referenced his preferences a few times and nothing in depth aside from what Ian saw him doing. They had never talked about it before. 

"I want that for you Mickey." Ian said when he didn't reply with more than heated groans. "If that's what you need, what your body needs, I want to help."

"Fuck Ian," Mickey started to move down, pushing against Ian's finger. "That's what I need, okay? I need it like that."

Ian groaned this time, moving both hands. Giving him twice the pleasure. "Say it. Say it for me so I know."

"Shit, shit, shit." Mickey whined, aware that the chatter around them had stopped, which meant they'd been caught. "It needs to wait."

Ian looked over his shoulder, surprised to see the humans trying not to watch. Their eyes darting towards them, then away, only to come back again. 

"They already know. Might as well finish it." Ian drew his attention back to Mickey. "I know you're close again."

Mickey nodded, groaning through his teeth. "So fucking close."

"Then tell me. Please?"

"Faster." Mickey begged, right on the edge. Ian's hands sped up, the one on his cock blurring under the water, even the finger inside his ass seemed to go deeper, moving fast. "That's it, fuck." 

"Just say it." Ian went back to kissing his neck, then biting him, feeling that need rising fast in his own body. 

"What I need is you," Mickey was shaking, sweat dripping down his body into the water. "I need you in me, your fingers, your mouth. God, I need your cock in me until I come. Getting in deep, giving me what I need."

"Mickey." Ian whispered as his body shook, forcing his eyes to close as it began to wash over him. 

"That's it, baby," Mickey growled against Ian's lips. "Come for me."

As Ian's entire body shook as he came, as he got there from his words alone, Mickey allowed himself to let go. He focused on Ian's heavy breathing in his ear and the feel of both hands on him.

"Fuuuckk." Mickey couldn't hide how loud his moan was as he came.

All he knew was the pleasure he got from it. The kind that knocks you on your ass. The kind that forced you to sleep for hours after. The kind that took your breath away. The kind you'd do anything for.

"Oh, my." Ian whispered, his hand slowly moving under water. 

Mickey's shivered when Ian's finger slipped out, leaving him with that sated, but empty feeling. He leaned into Ian as they both breathed together, touching, kissing. 

"You were amazing." Mickey praised, making Ian blush. "I love when you come for me."

"Mickey." Ian sighed, a little exasperated. "You didn't even have to touch me. It just happened."

"I was going to, but it felt like you'd get there anyway, and you did." Mickey kissed each pink cheek. "I'm pretty sure we have an audience though."

Unfocused eyes moved past Mickey's head and caught three pairs of eyes on them. He was about to say something, but they looked away, fidgeting. "They are doing their best not to look."

As Mickey fixed his shorts, he glanced behind him. All three of them seemed to try and find something to do aside from stare. "Pervs."

"Us? You're the one doing it out in the open!" Iggy argued back, his cheeks flushed. "Want privacy? Go somewhere private."

"We plan to." Mickey turned back to Ian, winking. "I'm gonna get my stuff together. Wait for me?"

"Always." Ian leaned in to kiss him. "Hurry though."

"I'm going."

**

"This place is incredible." 

Mickey parked the rented jeep on the white sand, as close to the side of the cliff as the water would allow. If high tide came in, it would cover the tires. 

"Thank you." Ian smiled proudly as he sat on the beach with his tail in the water. "I found it years ago but not many people come here because the waterfall hides the entrance."

From where he stood, only about fifteen feet away from the loud, rushing waterfall, Mickey didn't see an entrance. Just the side of a cliff, with a waterfall that led directly into the ocean. The water hit the rocks and the sand, creating its own little pool before the water rushed out to meet the waves. 

In the dark, with nothing but the lights from the jeep, Mickey was glad no one expected anything more than a simple, beautiful waterfall. He didn't want to have to share their limited time with anyone who might wander up. Or have to look over their shoulders for Noah. Here, they were completely alone. 

"It doesn't look like a cave." Mickey said as he grabbed the water resistant duffle bag, tossing it over his shoulder before the Jeep locked. "It's fucking beautiful."

"Yeah, it is. I can swim under the rocks, and you'll be able to slip around them without getting soaking wet."

"I'm good with either." Mickey bent down enough to kiss him before Ian swam out a little to move around the rocks. "Lead the way, baby."

The lights on the jeep shut off, leaving him in temporary darkness. Mickey grabbed the handheld flashlight he put in his pocket and clicked it on to see Ian waiting for him.

"I'm coming. Just can't see in the dark." 

"That's too bad really. The dark is amazing." Ian smiled. 

On swift feet, mindful of the slippery rocks, Mickey made his way to the mouth of the waterfall. Even this close, he couldn't see anything inside except for the rock wall behind the water. 

"The crack is to the right, you should be able to squeeze in." Ian pointed through the water. "I'm gonna go under unless you want me to wait."

"Go ahead, I'm right behind you." Mickey's smile matched Ian's as he slipped below the water, leaving him alone.

Mickey sidestepped the water, his back against the rocks until he was behind it. The entrance was there just like Ian said and it took him sucking in his chest to wiggle past it, but he came out the other side smiling.

"Chest too big?" Ian asked, eyeing it eagerly. 

Mickey's eyebrow rose in amusement. "Just a little. All that swimming lately buffed me up."

"I see that."

His eyes left Ian's long enough to take in the inside of the cave. The stream of water Ian swam through lead all the way to the back, as did the jagged path of rocks. 

The ceiling looked endless, spanning all the way up the mountain, nearly making it hollow. Even his flashlight didn't allow him to see the top. The walls were soft, almost like when people buff stones to sell in gift shops, a mix of colors from the darkest brown to the lightest blue. 

The reflection off the water from his light made it look like the walls had an internal glow. Sparkling and glittery, casting rays of light in every direction. It reminded Mickey of a disco ball, if it wasn't manmade. 

"Do you like it?" 

At Ian's soft tone, Mickey focused on him instead of the walls. "I love it, but you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Ian lowered himself in the water as he blushed, going until his flushed cheeks were cooled. 

Mickey chuckled at his reaction, but didn't press. "I'll follow you."

The back of the cave was all land, like Ian said, almost like the underwater cave. White sand, a few rocks, enough space to hold over twenty people. And along the wall, just like before, Mickey could see Ian's treasures. 

Ian beat him there, climbing up until only his tail was in the water. Mickey made his way back, then tossed his bag aside, kicked off his boots and sat beside him. 

"I would kill to have a place like this to come to." Mickey said suddenly as the full impact of the room rushed at him all at once. "To be alone, away from all the bad shit. Having somewhere beautiful to come, somewhere peaceful."

"I'm always alone." Ian replied in a soft tone. "I guess it doesn't feel the same when you have no one else."

As Ian's shoulders caved forward, Mickey wrapped an arm around him. "You have me, baby. You don't ever have to be alone again."

Ian leaned into him. "I don't like being alone. I don't like the silence."

The cave itself was silent. Not even making the waterfall echo around them. Or the gentle slosh of water against the island. Just mind numbing silence. 

"Do you have any places near Miami?" 

"I have places all over the place, even in Miami. Why?"

"Because when we go back, I could come see you. If you want." Mickey had that strange feeling of self doubt invade his body as Ian moved and looked at him. "Just so you don't have to be alone. We could be alone together."

"Every night?"

"As many nights as I can if it's close enough." Mickey saw fear on Ian's face, doubt. "If I could live in the water with you Ian, I would. In a heartbeat."

"Your heart always beats fast."

Mickey smiled. "It beats fast for you."

When Ian kissed him, Mickey wasn't ready for it. The impact was harder than it should have been for being that close to each other. One hand moved back to brace his body, holding his weight, while the other gripped the side of Ian's neck, holding him as well. 

Each movement was desperate, but calculated. Like Ian had the need to hurry, almost like he couldn't wait a moment longer. Mickey rolled with it. Meeting Ian's lips again and again, even as they started to pant harshly into the kiss. 

When Ian's hand moved to his belt, Mickey stopped him with a firm grip, breaking the kiss. "Ian, slow down."

"I don't want to." Ian whined, trying again for his pants. "I just want you as close as possible."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm here with you all night baby. No leaving." Mickey tried to get Ian to hear his words, to know he meant them. "After this, you don't have to hide from me."

"But what if I don't look like what you want?" Ian blurted, his voice shaky. "What if you see me and don't like it? Or want me to stay that way knowing I can't? Because the legs won't last. We can't be together."

To silence the panic, Mickey gripped both sides of his flushed face and kissed him until he stopped. "Ian, I don't care about the legs. I love you like this," he motioned to his tail, glittery in the water. "This is the you that I want, that I love. But I will like any way you look, even with legs."

Ian took a deep breath, the panic slowly going down. "I'm sorry. I know it's stupid. You already told me this."

"And I'll keep telling you if it helps." Mickey smiled, even when Ian didn't. "Just because I'm not used to it doesn't mean I won't like it. It's you, I already like it."

"Just so you know, I'd still like you if you had a tail."

Mickey grinned. "Thank you, baby. I would happily swap legs for a tail. They are overrated anyway."

"But I like your legs." Ian slid his hand down Mickey's thigh. "And I couldn't play with your butt."

"Oh, yeah. That would be tragic, hmm?" Mickey joked but Ian knew he was serious. "Besides, we found a way to make it work with you, didn't we?"

Ian's face flamed instantly. So hot his eyes watered. "Yeah, you did. It feels so…"

"Oh, I know." Mickey caressed his bare back, his hands jumping the gun already. "I see how much you love it."

Like most of their conversations, it grew heated almost instantly. Until Mickey saw a shiver dance it's way across Ian's body. Bringing goosebumps to the surface, making him gasp in pain. 

"Is it time?" Mickey asked, his voice nearly panicked. 

"It's coming." Ian said as he took another deep breath. "Just don't touch me until it's done, okay? My legs are sensitive enough but during the change it hurts."

"I won't touch you until you tell me." Mickey said as he reached for his duffle bag and brought out the blanket. "I brought this, just so you're not naked again."

Ian cupped his face, taking that next deep breath against his lips. "Thank you. I never even thought of that."

"It'll be okay. You know that, right? I'll love you no matter what I see, and I'm here for it all. Okay?" Mickey assured him yet again because he needed it, just like Ian did. 

"I know." Ian hissed, his eyes squeezing shut. "Back up, and remember to breathe through it. It won't last long."

Mickey backed up, watching as Ian lifted his tail from the water and laid it across the sand, his back braced against the wall. It was hard seeing him in any kind of pain, even if it was only temporary. That was a look he never wanted to see on Ian's face. 

"I fucking hate him." Ian said confidently, even while borrowing one of Mickey's words. "If he wasn't dead I'd kill him."

Mickey managed a smile. "You and me both, baby. But you got this. You're stronger than this shit, and him."

"I know." Ian kept his eyes closed as that burn started to increase. His hands fisting the sand. "And at least this way we can be together."

His heart cracked at that. It didn't break, but it cracked enough for pain to slither through. The fact that Ian only thought they could be together like this hurt. Just because of what Ian had been through, he still thought he needed legs to make him stick around. 

"Listen to me, Ian," Mickey kept his voice strong, even while Ian's tail started to blur. "We are going to be together no matter what. Legs or no legs. We are together already."

Ian smiled as much as he could. "I love you."

"I love you more."

It was hard to watch, like a car wreck. All busted metal and shattered glass, but this was bone forming from scales. Blue melted away little by little, starting from the bottom. Piece by piece, painful gasps included, Mickey watched with wide eyes as skin appeared. 

"Fuck."

Ian had feet, then ankles, calves, knees, thighs. All a creamy white color, a shade lighter than his upper body which had been kissed by the sun many times. The freckles on Ian's shoulders were like the ones on his legs, only smaller. Placed like God himself came down and directed them all across his body. 

As hard as it was to not look at all of him, Mickey kept his eyes away from Ian's groin. To give him his pride, his privacy, modesty. Ian was vulnerable and any wrong word, or facial tick, even a wrong sound might be enough to have Ian doubting his body more than he already had. 

It was over. The change was complete. Leaving Ian with long, beautiful legs, panting against the rock wall. Mickey crawled across the sand, his eyes searching for Ian's, and gently folded the blanket across his hips. 

"Thank you." Ian breathed shallowly, his eyes slowly opening. "It didn't seem to hurt as much with you around."

"Good," Mickey smiled. "I'm glad. You did amazing, Ian."

"Enduring pain is not amazing. It just hurts."

"Most people don't know real pain like this." Mickey took Ian's hand, squeezing. "You know it's coming and there is no stopping it, and you handled it better than most."

When Ian's smile returned, even if it was only a flash, Mickey felt the tightness in his chest ease, forcing his body to relax. "Can I get you anything?"

Ian licked his lips. "Just water."

Mickey had the bottle in his hand in an instant. He twisted the cap and put it in Ian's shaky hand. "Does it hurt the entire time?"

Ian waited until he drained half the bottle before he answered. "No, just for a few minutes after. Sometimes my legs feel stiff, and very sensitive to the touch."

"I'm glad it's not the entire time."

Mickey moved up beside Ian so his back was also against the wall. Ian wasted no time leaning over, showing him one adorable little ear before he was laying on his shoulder. 

A few moments past in total silence. So quiet that Mickey thought Ian might have dozed off. The tension evaporated from his body, leaving him relaxed, breathing evenly. 

"Well, what do you think?" Ian finally asked. 

"I still love the tail." Mickey felt Ian smile into his shirt. "But you look incredible with legs. And you are definitely taller than me."

Ian wiggled his feet, his going way passed where Mickey's feet stopped. "Makes it harder to walk I think. But yours are in much better shape."

"Do you want to walk?"

"I'm not really sure." Ian asked, moving them a little to the side. "It feels odd to have them. Like I'm not me. Like someone else has control. I think that's why I hate it."

"Having no control sucks. That's one of my biggest fears, actually. But I know that if you want control of your body like this, you have to use them."

Ian stared at him, listening. 

"I don't mean use them to become human, or to walk in town, or on the beach. I mean use them, make them strong. Make it so if you ever have to use them, or want to, you're in control."

"I just don't want to pretend to be something I'm not."

Mickey kissed his ear because he could and it made Ian gasp quietly. "It's not pretending. This is you, at least for now. You need to be able to work your body like this. It might help it so you don't hate them, or maybe you become stronger because of it."

"Why do you always know what to say to make me feel better?"

Mickey chuckled. "I think you feel better because I tell you nothing but the truth. Always. That's how it's supposed to feel when you're with someone you love."

"Do you feel that way with me? Even when I don't say much."

"Yes, always. And you say more than you think. I can feel what you want, see what you need, and I try my best to give it to you."

Ian bent his arm up to slide across Mickey's jaw, bringing him closer. "You've given me hope, Mickey. Peace, love, acceptance. I don't think there is anything more important than that, or that I would ask for anything besides that."

"You've given me adventure," Mickey bumped their noses together. "Hope, love, magic. I see the world different because of you. I want to be different because of you. You've given me everything."

Ian kissed him, unrushed. Just their lips pressing together as the words were absorbed and had its desired effect on their minds and bodies. That inner peace was there, as was love, but also heat. Attraction that sparked when they touched, even the simplistic touches. 

"Touch me." Ian whispered when he pulled back, keeping that safe, heated space around them. "I know you want to."

Mickey nodded. "Just to explore. But I'm more than happy to wait and keep kissing." 

The kiss was deeper this time, more intense as lips parted way for the soft slide of their tongues. Coming in for a taste, to explore in the way they both liked. 

"I'm supposed to use them, right?"

Mickey was breathless as he nodded. 

"Then touch them because I never do. I need to get used to it." Ian led Mickey's hand down to his thigh, gasping sharply at the contact. "I need to feel like they're a part of me."

"Are you sure?" Mickey asked, his eyes moving down without meaning to.

"I'm sure. Please do it." 

With another kiss, not stopping until Ian gave that delighted moan, Mickey moved down, all the way down to his feet. It was easier than working from his hips down...then they'd never get anything done. 

"If anything feels weird or bad, just tell me and I'll stop."

Ian chuckled. "If anything it'll feel too good."

Mickey swallowed thickly. "This is just like touching your tail, isn't it?"

"The exact same." Ian turned his flushed cheek into his shoulder. "Possibly more intense."

"Fuck." Mickey groaned, beating back the images, the sounds, that invaded his mind. "Do you want it to go there?"

"There?"

"Yeah, there." Mickey fought for words that didn't sound so blunt, but if he tried to skirt the details Ian may not understand. "Do you want to finish this? To touch like we always do."

Ian groaned. "I have a feeling this will be nothing like those other times."

No. It wouldn't. This change, changed the entire game. It wouldn't just be him getting off while Ian had to force his pleasure to come. They would be on the same playing field now. Working with the same equipment to achieve that blissful high. 

Mickey wanted that. He wanted to touch Ian like Ian touched him. To taste him like Ian had, to see that euphoric look cross his face before it spread like fire across his body.

Mickey had to clear his throat from all that pent up need before words came. "If not that's okay. Trust me. There is no need to rush that."

"I know."

"I'm good to just sit here and talk or work on gettin your legs to cooperate. Anything you want."

Ian sat up, leaving forward to grip Mickey's shoulders. "I want this. I want you like this. Please."

With Ian's go ahead, Mickey put his hands on Ian's feet. Feeling smooth skin while he worked his thumbs down the arch. Adding a little pressure, just so Ian could get used to the touch. 

"Mmm." Ian kept his mouth shut, but the sound slipped out anyway. 

The simple touch had his legs shaking already. Fighting the urge to jerk away at the odd sensations. So Mickey moved on to his ankles, rubbing those as well, amazed how soft his skin was. 

"How's that?" Mickey asked cautiously, his eyes never leaving Ian's face. 

"Oddly enough it feels good." Ian groaned again and shut his mouth until it passed. "Tingling like the change but not painful."

"No?"

"No, not at all." 

The corner of Mickey's mouth twitched in almost a smirk. "More?"

Ian nodded. "Much more."

His calves were next, lean under his touch. Smaller than his own, less muscle, but there was power. Strength. Mickey could feel his muscles tense each time his fingers dug into his skin. 

"I feel it all over."

Mickey nodded, gripping tighter. "It's supposed to feel like that."

"I like it."

With a smile, Mickey lowered himself until his mouth was only inches away from Ian's shin, giving him a good idea about what he was going to do. "Only if it's okay."

Ian licked his own lips as they dried. "Do you want to?"

Mickey nodded. 

"Why?"

"Because it'll make you feel good for one. And for two, I really want to feel your skin." Mickey offered one kiss, giving him a moment to test it. Then another, barely moving. 

Ian moaned. "Mickey."

Mickey kissed up to his knee, letting his tongue run along his skin, tracing a few veins. Like the one that moved to the inside of Ian's knee, forcing him to split his legs as he moved up, letting them rest across his thighs. 

"Are you going to do that everywhere?" Ian asked, panting. 

That sly smile appeared before he could stop it. "Only if you want me to."

"I do, I want it." Ian moaned again, slouching against the wall. "But I want to touch you too. Take your clothes off."

His shirt hit the sand in an instant. And Ian's hands found their way to his shoulders, kneading the muscles there. Then sliding up his neck and into his hair until his fingers, no longer webbed, scraped against his scalp. 

"That's different." Mickey said as he shivered. "Nails, legs, ears...fuck it's new, but good."

Ian smiled, feeling totally at ease. "I'm glad you approve."

Getting back to it, Mickey sucked against the side of Ian's knee, using his teeth a little when he pulled back. To his surprise, Ian's legs split wide open, forcing the blanket to shift, giving him just a sneak peek between his legs and what he saw had his jaw aching. 

Ian was blessed...very, very blessed. 

"And yes," Mickey kept Ian's legs from splitting wider and forced his eyes up. "I approve of all of you."

"That thing with your teeth, biting me like that," Ian's entire body shook, allowing him to relive it for a moment. "That's better than the kissing."

"It'll get better the higher I go." Mickey showed him by biting the first inch of the inside of Ian's thigh. 

Ian groaned deep in his throat, his legs trying to move open. "Higher."

Finally, after keeping himself calm and collected through this, even when he was as hard as he'd ever been, Mickey growled and moved up. He did the same to his other leg, kissing him, then biting softly. 

"I'm hard." Ian blushed as he said it, watching blue eyes glow up at him. "I'm so hard, Mickey."

As Ian's legs split a little more, Mickey nodded. "I see how hard you are for me, baby. I can't wait to get my mouth on you."

Ian held the back of Mickey's neck, pulling on him. "Skip the legs, I need it now."

"I can't." Mickey fought against his grip and repeated the kissing, biting routine again, going higher until Ian's legs shook. "I'm almost there. Just a little more."

"Mickey, please." Ian whined and took one hand back, put it to his chest and slid it all the way down under the blanket. "I'm harder than I was just watching you touch yourself. It aches."

The only way to stop from blowing right that second, was to keep going. Keeping his eyes away from Ian and when his hand started to move under the blanket. When those pink lips parted as he moaned, a truly needy sound. 

"I know it does." Mickey moaned against his thigh, only one or two more kisses from his groin. "I'm gonna take care of it, Ian. I promise." 

"With your mouth?" Ian moaned. 

Another kiss up, Mickey could see his balls. Heavy hanging there, fucking perfect. He nuzzled them with his nose, shivering when Ian gasped. "With anything you want."

"I can't think, Mickey. Please don't make me choose." Ian pulled on Mickey's hair, urging him up without meaning to. "You know more about this. And I want to do it together, like we always do. We can't do that with you down there."

Mickey sat up, even when Ian tried to keep him down. It had him grinning devilishly. "Can I move the blanket?"

Blushing, Ian replied by yanking the blanket off. Revealing himself. 

"Fuck, oh, fuck." Mickey felt his ass clench after seeing all of him. Long and thick and so fucking big. "I might come from just looking at it."

Ian reached down, stroking shyly. "Why?"

"Because you're big," Mickey leaned back down, tonguing at his balls while Ian moaned wildly above him. "All I feel is my ass clenching with how bad I need it."

"In you, right?" Ian asked, spreading his legs as he kept moving. "Getting in deep?"

Mickey moaned. "Ian, fuck." He ripped open his jeans and started stroking. "Tell me what you want before it's over."

"Let me feel your mouth a little. Just once," Ian stopped stroking as Mickey's mouth neared. "Then come up here so we can come together."

As if he had no control left, Mickey licked from his balls all the way up, forcing Ian's fingers to move, then to the head where he circled it, tasting him. 

"Oh, my God!" Ian whined, lifting his hips. "Is that what you feel when I--?" His entire body moved against Mickey's lips. "Again, please do it."

Mickey did it again, only this time he took Ian deep into his throat. Ian gave a choked up sound, one big hand holding him by his hair. 

It was ecstacy.

"I feel it, Mick." Ian whined. "Help me."

Mickey shot up, forcing Ian to let go and kissed him as kicked off his jeans, then climbed up his lap, their cocks between them. He swallowed gasp after needy gasp, losing all control. 

"Get me baby, I'll get you." Mickey gripped Ian's cock, amazed as it overtook his hand. "Fuck, look at this."

"Shhh," Ian put his fingers over Mickey's mouth, then gripped him hard enough for him to yelp. "Make me come, Mickey."

It didn't take long for either of them. Stroking at the same time, fast and urgent, hardly with any skill. Their teeth clashed as they kissed, moaning at the same time. 

"Just like that Ian, fuck, fuck!" 

Mickey refused to shut his eyes but watched Ian instead. How his eyes looked like empty pits, blown wide. The moaning was constant and Ian had begun to push into his grip, lifting his hips. 

"Mickey." Ian moved faster. "I can't wait anymore. I need it." He whined, eyes closing. "Now. Right now!"

Stroking him through it, Mickey watched as Ian was floored by the power of that orgasm. Unable to look, to move, nothing but constant groans and the shift of his hips as he exploded like a rocket between them. Coating his hand, both their chests, even landing a drop on the corner of his mouth, letting him taste. 

The taste was the final straw. It shoved him over that edge, into nothingness. Into nothing but pleasure, like it was stroking him from head to toe, using every inch of skin. 

They couldn't move. They couldn't breathe as they kissed. Gripping each other with sticky hands, trading deep sounding moans before swallowing them. They were lost to each other. 

"Baby." Mickey whispered, his voice going in and out as he tried to center himself. "Are you okay?"

Ian nodded. "That was just…" he shivered, an aftershock pulsing up his body. "I've never felt anything so good."

"That makes two of us. You did so good, Ian. You are perfect." Mickey said in awe, unsure if his words even covered how amazing it was. "Thank you for doing that with me. For letting me watch your change, for letting me touch your legs like that. To touch all of you."

"All of me is for you." Ian answered simply, nuzzling into his palm. "I love you so much."

With a soft kiss to Ian's forehead, Mickey returned the sentiment, feeling Ian smile against his chest. Leaving nothing but pounding hearts and the harsh sound of their breathing. 

Sometimes actions spoke louder than words.

*

It was late morning by the time they made it back to the house. They slept naked until Ian's change, until Mickey felt scales against the tops of his thighs as he held Ian while he whimpered. Then slept until the morning sun illuminated the cave. 

It wasn't awkward at all. Mickey couldn't help but love Ian's blush, those sly smiles and the mix of heated eyes on his body. 

They swam in the shallow water as the sun rose to its highest peak. Until it warmed their chilled skin. Then Mickey watched Ian swim away before he drove back to the villa. Unable to stop smiling. 

Only now, his smile slipped. There was another rental car in the driveway. One that hadn't been there before. Something about it had his senses on overload. 

Paranoid about Noah and Ian, annoyed because he had no idea what was going on as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. 

Quinn, Knox and Iggy came rushing to the door with murderous looks on their faces. 

"Fuck." Mickey hissed and tossed his bag down. His mood shot to shit in a microsecond. "What now?"

Only he didn't expect Mandy to push her way between them, half of her face covered in fresh bruises. With a busted lip and red rimmed eyes.

"What the fuck!?" Mickey nearly screamed. Forcing the start of tears in her eyes. "Mandy…"

"Mick." Mandy tried to say it normally but it came out as a broken cry. More tears fell as she ran at him. 

Mickey took the hit, knowing exactly what happened before anyone told him. There was only one person ballsy enough to strike at him, at them, through Mandy. Only one person stupid enough to think he could get away with it. Who thought vengeance wouldn't reach him.

Mickey met three pairs of red, murderous eyes, teeth clenched, ready to strike. "Noah is a fucking dead man."


	13. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New facts come to light about who Noah might be working for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile, so I'm super nervous.

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 13- Secrets

"I'm going to kill him." Mickey growled, aware of the concerned looks but he didn't care. He pushed past them all to get to his bag. "I'm going to drive to his boat, shoot him and light that damn thing on fire."

"Mickey…" Mandy moved to him, drying her eyes. "You can't just kill him."

"Why the fuck not?" Mickey turned, his gun gripped tightly in the palm of his hand. "I'm sure no one will miss him enough to mess with us."

Although mad, Mickey could tell they were afraid. Afraid of him, of what he would do, or when. He knew it was a bad idea in the long run, but seeing Mandy's bruised face was the last straw in a long line of last straws. 

It was the final tipping point. 

"You didn't even let me explain." Mandy pushed in front of him when he went to move. "I literally only said your name."

"That's all I need to know, Mandy," Mickey dropped the gun, aimed at the floor by his side. "One look at you and I know what went down. I don't need the entire story."

"Yes, you do!" Mandy screamed, tears silently moving down her cheeks. "The why may not change your mind but it's important."

With a glance at Quinn and Knox, he knew they were on the same boat as him. Hoping for revenge, to shed a little blood for Mandy because she was their family. But there was hesitation.

Iggy was the only one who seemed on board, 100%. No ifs, ands, or maybes. He didn't need the entire story, complete with illustrations, he wanted Noah dead now. Mickey respected that most of all. 

"What exactly do I need to know?" Mickey asked, his voice deep and angry. "Anything that will change the outcome?"

Mandy hesitated a moment, then shook her head no. "No, but it's more important than just offing Noah. That won't solve anything. It won't keep more people from hunting mermaids."

Iggy spoke up, his eyes dark. "I don't give a shit why Noah did this, touching you was a mistake."

Satisfaction crept up Mickey's spine, hyping him up for what was next. Having Iggy back him without question was a high he never got tired of. He could always count on him when it mattered. 

"You wanna tell us, fine. But it needs to wait until after we handle this." Iggy moved to his own bag, finding his gun as well. "Like you said, it won't change anything to know."

"Igg, you're the one who said killing Noah wouldn't help." Knox stepped up, literally between the three of them. "You kill him, someone just picks up the money offer and it's game on again."

At that, Mickey clenched his jaw. Not wanting to be detoured from his plan. 

"That's before he hit my sister." Iggy growled.

When no one spoke up, Knox continued. "We know Noah has done some questionable shit. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, especially hurting Mandy, but--"

Mandy smiled shyly. 

"Then what the fuck are you saying?" Mickey snapped, nearly growling. 

"We need to figure out who he is working for, we already talked about this." Knox barked back. Glaring. "Fine, kill Noah for coming after Mandy. But Ian still won't be safe."

Ian. This was all about Ian and keeping him safe, keeping him alive. It was easy to let anger and hate get in the way, to shift his focus to revenge for one bad deed instead of all of them, instead of trying to stop it. 

"Someone else will come up and want that money. We won't know who or when, it'll be like starting from the beginning."

"Fuck." Mickey sighed, his irritation spiking by the second. 

"You know he's right." Quinn spoke up, getting their attention. "At least wait until we know who the fuck is pulling his strings before you kill him."

Their connection was instant. Both Mickey and Iggy looked at each other at the same time, with the same looks on their faces. So close it felt like Mickey was looking in a mirror at himself. 

"Tell me what you want to do, and we'll do it." Iggy stepped closer, past Mandy until he was nose to nose with him. 

Mickey quickly weighed the options, pros and cons, the good and bad and his want hadn't changed. He wanted Noah dead. But now it was the enemy you know, over the enemy you don't. 

At least with Noah, they knew his patterns and tactics. They knew when he'd hit and how, they knew who he was. Unlike the next Noah, or the one after him. 

Someone would always be willing to pick up the pieces, to desire the money as Noah did. Noah was disposable. Chop his head off and two would appear, then four, then eight. On and on until Ian was dead, until all the mermaids were dead. 

That was a risk Mickey couldn't take. He couldn't gamble with Ian's life like that. 

"I agree we need to take them all down," Mickey said to Quinn and Knox, who dipped their head in response. "But I'm not letting this shit with Mandy slide. That just means he can get away with it and that's not going to happen."

Iggy growled. "Fuck no, it's not. We keep him alive, barely. Then figure the rest of that shit out."

The room, aside from him and Iggy, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. One that Mickey wished could remain for more than a second but he was about to smash the hope into a million pieces. 

"I'll wait until Mandy tells us what we need to hear, then I'm going to talk to Ian." He paused, waiting for their corresponding nods. "But if he wants us to move on Noah before we find out who the head of this thing is, then I'm doing it."

Beside him, Iggy bristled with satisfaction. Mandy put her head in her hands while Quinn and Knox traded apprehensive looks. His mind was already made up, theirs couldn't sway him. 

"If he wants to wait, I'll wait." Mickey said after a few moments of silence. "Fair?"

Iggy shook his head. Mandy seemed to think it over a minute before she nodded and the boys just shrugged, knowing they wouldn't get their way on this. 

"Good." Mickey pushed the gun into the back of his shorts. "Let's get this shit sorted then."

Knox moved for the first aid kit and Mickey walked with Mandy into the kitchen, followed by Iggy who moved to get them all a drink. Quinn hung around in the background, showing how not okay he was with the plan.

Mickey sat down next to Mandy, his anger momentarily subsided when big brother duties came up. "How bad is it?"

Mandy touched her swollen eye, wincing a little. "Terry gave it worse, so not that bad."

Mickey grinned, then so did Mandy. 

"Really, it just took me by surprise." Mandy pulled the cold beer from Iggy's hand and drank half before she continued. "For a bunch of big guys that was such a bitchy way to fight."

Knox came back with the first aid kit and sat on the other side of Mandy. While he bandaged her up, they listened. 

"I'm sure Noah told them you're a fighter." Iggy said, smirking. "He knew it would have to take you by surprise to be effective."

Mandy smiled for a moment before it fell. "That's possible. But unless we see them with Noah, we have no way of knowing if they were his or his bosses."

"What happened?" Mickey asked. The spike of laughter died down, making the room feel twice as dark as before. "I haven't heard from you in days."

"I know. I told you I was going to dig into the shit about Ian, and I did." Mandy hissed when a bandage was put across her forehead. "It took a few days but I think I know why everyone is going after mermaids."

Iggy's eyebrows narrowed. "Aside from money?"

"No, it is about money, that will never change. But the capture alive thing is for a different reason than keeping them as pets."

Mickey's body pulsed, feeling a haze of fog sitting across his shoulders. A warning, a sense of foreboding. "What else would they need it for?"

"From what I found, which isn't much because that shit was in a million different languages, most of which I don't speak, they seem to be after something called Mermaid Cove, or rough translation of the name."

The room was so quiet Mickey was sure he heard crickets chirping. They all just stared at her. 

"Trust me, I know how bat shit crazy this sounds. According to the research, Mermaid Cove is like a Mecca for mermaids. Hundreds of them are supposed to live there."

Mickey's eyes widened. "But they've been hunted to the brink of extinction. And we have only been aware of less than ten of them."

"I know, but they have to come from somewhere." Mandy snapped. "As far back as I've read, which seems to be around a thousand years or so, Mermaid Cove is ground zero for their kind. Call it a clan or kingdom, whatever, but it has to be real."

Mickey stood as he rubbed his eyes and tried not to shoot the idea down. It did sound like a fairy tale, but so did Ian. And he was very real. 

"I'm sure someone, somewhere over the last thousand years would have come across it." Mickey said. "We didn't even know they existed until that one was caught a few years ago. Then only four or five after that."

"The maps show that its current position would be in the center of Bermuda's Triangle. At the center. Filled with storms and freak accidents and legends about sea monsters. Maps that people don't have access to. Or they've been updated so much over the years that it just vanished."

Mandy smiled when no one countered her with a negative opinion. 

"People aim to stay clear of the triangle and others die getting caught up in it. Do you really think someone was able to go down to the bottom of the ocean in search for it?"

"No, because it's a damn death trap." Mickey stopped her before she could continue her rant and moved to get another beer. "But if it's been there this entire time, all those years, why hasn't any more of them been spotted?"

"With a name like 'Mermaid Cove' someone had to have seen it." Iggy said. "I doubt they'd call it that all on their own."

Instantly, Ian's story came to mind. The one about his family, about them being killed by that human, or witch, whatever the hell he was. He knew they might need to know, but he wasn't sure if he should tell them. Especially since Ian didn't like talking about it. 

"Well whoever it was is dead now." Mandy said, looking at Iggy. "Someone found it, slapped a catchy name on it, and told someone else who told someone. Word got around for a while, long enough for someone to map it out."

"I need to tell you something." Mickey said loudly, interrupting all the side conversations for them to look at him. "I can't tell you details because I said I wouldn't, but I might have an idea."

Mandy turned in her chair, eyes wide. "Is it about Ian?"

Mickey nodded. "He told me a story, his story actually. Ian told me he knew this human a long time ago, like over three hundred years ago…"

Everyone's mouth seemed to drop open at the same time, as did their eyes. Up until now, they hadn't known Ian's age, and three hundred years was a long fucking time.

"Damn, he looks good for his age." Iggy said seriously. 

Mickey smiled. "Yeah, he does. Anyway, he said this human was the reason his entire family was dead."

Again silence washed over the room.

"Ian said hunters took 'em out and I'm wondering if that meant they knew about this Mermaid Cove location. From what I gather, Ian had a lot of family. More makes it harder to hide and easier to find."

"That's fucked up." Iggy shook his head. "I can see why he hates humans."

Mandy nodded and subtly wiped her eyes. "Do you think Ian knows about this place?"

When pacing didn't help the unease inside him fade, Mickey moved back to his chair and sat down. Knowing all eyes were on him. 

"It's possible, even when he told me he didn't have a home anymore. A family make a home and if his were killed…" he shook his head sadly. "Then I can see why he wouldn't say anything."

"Also, it could be to keep the location a secret. The public, the world, doesn't know about it." Mandy added quickly. 

"That too." Mickey said, trying to remain calm even when every nerve in his body screamed at him to go to Ian. "I can ask him when he gets back."

Iggy glanced out the back door. "Why isn't he with you?"

Mickey looked too, seeing nothing by the calm water. "He needed to stretch his legs, so to speak. He's supposed to come back in a few hours."

"How does this link with Noah?" Knox asked, breaking the conversation away from Ian. "If no one knows then why did they attack you?"

"I was holed up in the town archives when they showed up. But I don't know if it's Noah's guys or whoever it is he's working for." Mandy motioned to her face. "But as you can see, they seem eager to have that information."

Mickey scowled. "It had to be Noah's guys. His boss doesn't even know you, or where you'd be in our home town."

"Yeah, that's a bitch move." Iggy added. "But it's something he would do. I'm guessing he got it all?"

Mandy shook her head. "No, I put the books and shit away before they came in, so unless they took the entire building with them it'll take awhile."

A sigh of relief seemed to wash over them. For once they got a break, Noah not knowing the location helped them. 

"They beat you up because you wouldn't give them the information?" Knox asked quietly. 

Mandy nodded and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry big guy, it takes more to break me than pussies like them."

"Question," Mickey waited until they looked at him. "Do they want the location to capture the mermaids, or to kill them?"

All around, eyebrows narrowed. 

"If they aren't as rare or extinct as we thought, they wouldn't be worth as much money as people have been paying. But if he kills them, or most of them, it keeps him in business and keeps the cash flow going."

"God, I sure as hell hope it's not either of those things." Mandy said, disgusted. "We know it can't be anything good. Which means we can't let them find it."

"But who is them?" Iggy asked, passing around more beers. "Noah, yes, but he has a boss. And that boss might have another boss and so on."

Mandy held up her finger. "I'm not completely sure, so just work with me here. But I think the big boss is a woman."

"A woman?" Mickey repeated, making sure he heard it right. Mandy nodded. "I don't know, Mands. This is some hardcore shit here."

Mandy glared. "And what, you think it HAS to be a man?"

Iggy snorted, no help at all. 

"More than half the time it is." Mickey shrugged. "Maybe the capture part could be pinned on a woman. But killing them? Not just a few, but thousands if they found them. That seems like a guy thing."

"I've seen women do much worse," Knox chipped in. "Cunning, dangerous, manipulative, exploitative…" he shivered. "It could be a woman."

Mickey held his hand up. "Okay, before we get into feminism territory, just tell me why you think it would be a woman in the first place."

"When the goons were going through my stuff, one of them got a phone call." Mandy explained. "I can tell it was a boss by how freaked out the guy was. I'm almost certain it was a woman because he called her ma'am."

If it was a woman, this was new territory for them. Killing--no, slaughtering an entire subspecies reeked of alpha male juice. For women, it was more personal for them somehow. 

"That changes shit up." Iggy said and moved for another beer.

"Well, if you're right and it is a woman, we need to track her down. You gotta be loaded to shell out the kind of money to pay for Noah's expensive ass boat. Can't be too hard to track down."

Mandy smiled at him. He gave a wink in return. 

"I did some more googling on the plane and might have a few." Mandy stood. "Let me get my computer."

While they waited, Mickey looked out the big glass window and out into the water. 

"How is he?" Iggy asked. 

Mickey smiled, trying to cover it up by tilting his head down. "He's good. Really good, actually. I didn't wanna leave though."

"Yeah. At least not coming back to this shit."

"I was kinda expecting a shower, food and a nap. Maybe. But not this." He sighed, his smile long gone. "Now we get to deal with multi-million dollar corporations that want to wipe out an entire race."

When Iggy hummed in agreement, Mickey walked to the back door, opened it, and stepped out. The salty air hit him instantly, calming him. Making him take deep breath after deep breath, making him think of Ian. 

Iggy stepped out, Knox behind him. They each took a seat under the shaded umbrella. Mickey didn't want to sit still. He was too angry. Too wired. Instead, he walked to the far edge of the porch until soft waves lapped at his boots. 

Moments later, Mandy and Qhuinn came out. She took one chair and he took the other. 

"Okay, so like I said, I have a few places that could bankroll the money for this mermaid annihilation plan."

In reply, Mickey just turned his head to the side, showing her that he was still listening. But he didn't want to move away from the water. He wanted to be the first thing Ian saw when he came out of the water. 

"The first one might seem a little odd," Mandy warned. "The University of Miami."

"What?" Iggy laughed. "You think some college mook has mermaids locked in the basement of the University?"

Mandy slapped his arm. "No, stupid. But it's the University of Miami for shit sake. They have marine biologists teaching glasses and giving lectures every day there. They would know how to handle marine wildlife."

Mickey shook his head. "Maybe, but don't they have a Board of Directors that literally account for every penny flushed in and out of there?"

Mandy sighed. 

"There is no way they'd have the funds for this. Not that they could explain. All that shit is on paper. It's way too risky."

"Yeah, I see your point." Mandy conceded tiredly. "But it's not a farfetched idea. Miami is full of experts, it's lucrative. It would bring in money."

"Who else you got?" 

"Uh…" Mandy scrolled down. "A few independent research facilities. But they are all about making the oceans cleaner, preserving marine life. I can't see them behind this."

Iggy shrugged. "All it takes is one."

"No, if someone was coming at it from a different angle, those eggheads would notice." Mickey dug into his pockets for his pack of cigarettes, lit one and took a deep drag. "Who else?"

"Shit." Mandy stood. "My computer is about to die. Let me get my charger."

Once again, Mickey waited and looked back out at the water. Only this time, when he glanced down at the waves, he was looking right into Ian's eyes. 

His entire attitude changed. His frown turned into a giddy smile. Butterflies fluttered in his belly. His body ached to feel Ian's again. To touch him and kiss him. To do everything with him. 

Ian slowly came up, his hair smoothed back, his eyes twinkled in that special way but his smile...God, that smile changed everything. 

"Hey, baby." Mickey said softly as he bent down. He didn't want their greeting to be as public as it could have been. "Was lookin for you."

Ian put the tips of his fingers on Mickey's boot. "You found me." 

He saw Ian's eyes dart between his legs, noticing they weren't alone. Then something moved across his face, chasing away that smile. 

"What's wrong?" Ian asked quietly. 

Mickey cupped one side of Ian's face, his thumb stroking across his cheekbone. "Before we get into that, kiss me?"

Ian narrowed his eyes for a moment, then smiled. "Just one?"

"For now." Mickey winked as he bent down and tugged Ian's jaw until their lips met. 

The heat was there behind it, as it always was, and as much as he wanted to give in and feel it, to kiss him until they couldn't breathe, he pulled away. Bumping their noses. 

"How bad is it?" Ian asked, his voice soft, uncertain. 

Mickey pulled back a little but kept his hand on him. "Bad. My sister is here. Apparently Noah's men got to her, beat her up for information."

Ian growled low in his throat. "I knew I should have killed him when I had the chance."

Mickey gave a tight lipped smile. "I've had plenty of chances. I should have done something, too."

They shared a moment of regret, of guilty, of worry; before Mickey kissed him again and moved back enough for Ian to slip onto the porch, his tail hanging off the side. 

That's when Mandy decided to come back out. Her mouth running a mile a minute, the computer charger in one hand. She wasn't paying attention one bit as she walked back to the crowded table. 

It wasn't until she noticed that no one was talking, that she looked up. Mickey met her eyes for a split second until she noticed Ian. 

"Oh, my God!!" Mandy practically screamed. She dropped the charger and all but ran across the porch. 

Mickey automatically stepped in front of Ian, protecting him at all costs. Even from his own sister. 

Ian didn't shriek or growl at her, but he did hold the insides of his pant legs and slip back into the water until only his head stuck out. 

"Easy, Mandy." Mickey put a hand on her shoulder so she didn't mow over him. 

"He's so beautiful!" She squealed.

That time, Ian sunk deeper into the water. 

"Jesus Christ, Mandy." Mickey turned, seeing Ian below the surface. "You fuckin scared him."

When he turned to look at her, her eyes were a little watery looking. She was sorry. He could see it. He could also understand her excitement. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Mandy took a deep breath. "Can you get him back up? I promise I won't scream again."

Mickey bent back down and slipped his entire arm into the water. Ian instantly linked their hands and allowed himself to be pulled up to the surface again. 

"No fucking yelling." Mickey narrowed his eyes at her. 

"I won't, promise." Mandy looked past.him and at Ian. "Fuck, you're beautiful."

Ian smiled a little. "That's what Mickey said."

Mickey chuckled. "Ian, this is my sister Mandy. Mandy, this is Ian."

He let go of Ian's hand so he could move over enough to give her room. Ian seemed calm, but kept looking at him as she came closer. 

"It's nice to officially meet you, Mandy." Ian lifted one hand from the water and held it up. 

Mandy looked at him. "He doesn't shake hands, but it's about the same."

Mandy didn't hesitate to press her palm to Ian's. Her smile widened. "It's so nice to meet you too, Ian. I'm happy you're okay."

"I am," Ian smiled and took his hand back. "Thanks to Mickey."

His heart swelled in his chest at that. Making love bloom once again in his heart. It was so overwhelming it could choke him up if he wasn't careful.

"I was happy to help," Mickey sat down next to him and Ian reached for him. 

When Mandy didn't reply, he glanced away from Ian to her and her eyes were locked on Ian's hand against the inside of his thigh. As far as casual touching went, it was pretty intimate. 

Behind her, the boys chuckled lightly. 

"Holy shit." Mandy said as it clicked. "Is this really happening?"

Mickey smiled and linked their hands. "Yeah, it really is."

Once again, Mandy squealed. This time Ian only jumped. Instead of hiding. 

"Calm the fuck down!" Mandy kicked at her leg. "Inside fucking voices."

"Fuck, I've missed so much." Mandy kicked off her shoes and sat down with them. "Tell me everything!"

Mickey groaned. "No, not right now. We were talking about Noah, remember?"

"But--" Mandy whined, motioning to Ian. "I've barely had any time to talk to him. I have so many questions."

"He isn't going anywhere." Mickey promised. "You can ask all the questions that Ian wants to answer later on. Right now we need to talk about Noah."

Excitement aside, Mandy knew what was at risk if Noah kept it up. She had been on the bad end of a beat down, knew what Noah did to Ian. She knew he was bad news. She knew he needed to be the priority. 

"Fine," Mandy huffed as she stood and moved back to the table. "But this isn't over."

Ian chuckled and hopped back out of the water and moved to sit inside the shallow pool. "So, what's happening?"

Mickey stood and moved with Ian to the pool. He stopped at the back door though and grabbed his dull knife off the counter and a sharpening block before he sat on the edge of the pool.

With Ian's go ahead, he began to grind the knife against the block, forming dull edges back to sharp and deadly. When he thought about why it was dull; Ian's heroic adventure of saving him, battling sharks, hurting Noah, it brought a smile to his face. 

"Noah did that?" Ian asked. 

They all stopped and looked at him. Mandy especially. Eyes soft, caring, hurt. 

"Yeah. He did." 

Ian shook his head. "I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry, too." Mandy replied. "I know he hurt you too."

Mickey switched his knife to his other hand and gripped Ian's shoulder, squeezing it. "Mandy was trying to locate who could have hired Noah to hunt mermaids."

Ian shuddered. "Any ideas?"

"A few." Mandy focused on her computer. "I have another place that might work, that would be rich enough to fund the kind of money we're talking about."

Mickey quirked his eyebrow at her. 

"A place called The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science." 

"That sounds familiar." Mickey could feel his mind racing to fill in the blanks. "I know that name."

Mandy didn't wait for him to say it. "It's an academic and research institute for the study of oceanography and the atmospheric sciences. Whatever the hell that means." 

"Sounds like a load of shit. It's probably just an aquarium like every other place in Miami." Iggy said sarcastically.

"No, that's not it." Mickey dropped the block to the porch and quickly embedded the tip of his knife into the bench beside him. "I've heard that name before but I can't think of where."

"Says it's located in Miami, so maybe you heard about it there, or saw it on T.V." Mandy offered.

Mickey turned to her. "Where exactly is it?"

"The facility is located on sixteen acres on Virginia Key in Miami."

Whatever that place was, Mickey was sure he knew it. It was on the tip of his tongue but when he went to say it, nothing came out. But warning bells went off when he thought about it, when he tried to remember.

"Mickey?" 

At the sound of Ian's concerned voice, Mickey opened his eyes and looked down at him. "I'm okay. Just trying to remember."

While Mandy continued to rattle off facts about the institute, pausing to answer questions from the boys, Mickey held onto Ian's hand and dug deep into his mind. 

"It says here it's run primarily by one Helen Rosenstiel. Trust fund baby when she was younger. Her families money. They own a bunch of those oil rigs, so deep pockets."

The name sparked it like fire. The memories coming to him all at once, so fast his head started to pound. 

"Holy fuck." Mickey released Ian's hand as he stood. He pushed both of his hands into his hair and began to pace. "I fucking know that name."

Mandy looked at him. "So you keep saying."

"No, Mandy. You don't understand. Rosenstiel is her maiden name, before she got married. She is too well known to take her husband's name."

"Who is it?" Iggy asked. 

"Her husband's name is Sebastian Wilcox, total chump. Married a rich wife, burns through her money." Mickey saw Mandy's face contort into surprise. "She is Noah's mother."'

Knox spoke up. "His mother, seriously? She's the one behind all of this?"

It made sense. Noah seemed far too cocky to be just one hunter in an entire world full of hunters. Some had to be better than him, which would put him at risk for getting fired. Yet he was so confident, working at his own pace. Like he had nothing to worry about. 

He didn't. His mommy was funding all of it. He was under her command with orders to capture, and or kill mermaids. He had no rules, no deadline, nothing to fear if he did fail. 

And that was dangerous.

"Okay, here it is." Mandy studied the computer, reading out loud. "The company has been in operation for close to thirty years. They have contracts with half the oceanic organizations in the world, most located in Miami. It's a multi-billion dollar company, so there is nothing they can't get their hands on."

"How did you know her name?" Ian asked curiously. 

Mickey shared a brief, fleeting glance with Mandy. He really didn't want to say how he knew Noah's mother. It would bring up too many questions and judgments. And if he was honest, he wasn't sure they would look at him the same way if they knew. 

But he never liked to lie, either. Them not asking how he knew Noah and his family for all those years was not the same as him lying about it. He didn't lie, he just never told them. Even saying that, it didn't feel right. 

Now Ian was asking him outright and there was no way he could lie. Not if he wanted to keep what he and Ian had. Not if he wanted to sleep at night. Not if he wanted to see his reflection in the mirror. 

Mickey gave a subtle nod to Mandy, letting her know he had every inclination to tell them if they asked, then looked over at Ian. 

If anyone would understand, it would be Ian. 

"I've known Noah for a long time," Mickey began, doing his best to keep his voice even and steady. "About ten years ago when Mandy and I first came to Miami, I got a job working at some fishery doing grunt work. The work you do when you're at the bottom and wanna work your way up."

Around him, everyone was literally on the edge of their seats. Iggy, Knox, Quinn and Ian. Eyes curious, patiently waiting for his story. But not Mandy. Mandy already knew because she was there, she was his twin and he confided in her about everything. 

"I was fifteen. We were sent to Miami to live with our Aunt when our dad got arrested in Chicago for running guns and drugs." Mickey took a breath, feeling his lungs compress the more he spoke. "The fishery was owned by Helen Rosenstiel and her husband Sebastian Wilcox. Their son Noah was about ten years older than me, he was already an experienced fisherman that worked their private dock."

Iggy spoke up. "You never told me this."

Mickey nodded, eyes cast down. "There's a reason for that."

Iggy looked to Mandy. "But you told her?"

"I didn't have to tell her. We came here together, Iggy. We lived together. It's not like I picked her over you." Mickey snapped but there was no heat to it, no bite. It was as empty as he felt when he spoke about it. 

"Can we just get the story, please? Before we start getting mad." Ian said loudly, a little on edge. 

Mickey had a feeling Ian already knew by just the smallest amount of back story. He was intuitive in ways Iggy would never be. 

Iggy held his hands up, giving him the go-ahead to keep going.

"You don't have to tell us, Mickey." Ian spoke quietly so only Mickey heard him. "You know that, right?"

Mickey leaned forward until he could kiss Ian on the lips. Nothing sexual or demanding, just a light brush. As a thank you. Somehow Ian understood his apprehension and was okay with never knowing the story if it was too difficult to explain. 

"Thank you," Mickey whispered before he kissed him again. "I know I don't have to, but I think I should."

Ian cupped the side of his face. "Whatever you have to tell us, just know that it won't change anything, Mickey. Not for you and I."

That's what he was most worried about. His family was his family forever. Even if they were mad at him, or didn't want to speak to him, they would always be there. They'd always be in his life. But Ian was different. Having Ian in his life was a blessing, a miracle, it was not guaranteed. He could do or say something wrong and it would change everything. 

"I love you," Mickey whispered again as he kissed him. He didn't pull away so quickly this time, but let it play out until Ian was softly humming against his mouth. "You have no idea how much."

Ian smirked. "I might have some idea. Now kiss me again before you tell the rest." 

The next kiss was just as slow and wonderful as the last. Mickey was reluctant to pull away, but he did and when he looked up, he saw a shiny, expensive pair of boots directly behind Ian on the other side of the pool.

"Well, lookie here." Noah cackled, his arms folded over his chest, his smile devious. "I must say, I'm a little disappointed in you, Mick. He your boyfriend now? From what I remember, you had a very, very big sexual appetite."

Mickey shut his eyes, flinching at the words. A couple dozen punches would have hurt less. 

"How's he taking care of that? He got a cock I'm not seeing, or what?" Noah shook his head. "Well, if you ever need help with that, you know where to find me. Don't wait too long though, I know how much you love to ride."

A bomb could have gone off and no one would have moved. Without looking, Mickey knew Iggy and the boys were confused, disgusted. Ian was probably so shocked he couldn't speak, and Mandy was probably mad, ready to draw blood. 

Before he could come back at Noah with some equally snarky comment, Ian grabbed the knife embedded into the bench beside him and in the blink of an eye he was across the pool. 

Noah didn't have time to blink. Mickey didn't have time to stop him and Ian didn't have the will to hesitate. 

The last thing Mickey remembered, is Noah screaming at the top of his lungs and blood splashing into the pool. Then it all goes black.


	14. Lean on Me

The Devil's Triangle  
Chapter 14- Lean on Me

Honestly, Mickey couldn't believe what he was seeing. He just couldn't. Maybe his eyes were still red from being so angry, maybe it was the tears that kept falling, blurring his vision, or maybe, just maybe, what he was looking at was far too terrible to comprehend all at once and his brain took a little vacation until he calmed down. 

The deck was nothing like it had been. Two hours ago it had been full of family and friends, drinking and laughing and loving each other. Now it was covered in blood, one guy was dead, four wounded and the cops were already on their way. 

It had all happened so fast, faster than a blink of an eye. Noah made his peace, and so did Ian. He brandished that knife like it was a part of him. He used it with skill and if Mickey had to admit it, which he didn't, it scared him.

That same knife, his knife, was still buried in the meat of Noah's upper thigh, --the highest place Ian could reach at the time-- leaking blood into the ocean as it slowly slid down the deck and right into the water. 

Ian was leaning against the opposite side of the pool with a bloody graze from a stray bullet on his side. One of Noah's men decided to join the party with a gun and it went off when Noah jumped back into him, hitting Ian. 

The other body, one leaking blood far faster than a simple knife wound, the one that hadn't gotten up, was draped over one lounge chair with two bullets in his chest. Another one of Noah's men. 

When that first shot went off, clipping Ian in the side, Quinn never hesitated. He pulled the gun stashed at his lower back and fired twice without even blinking. The guy dropped like a sack of potatoes and never moved. 

The other wounded guy was him. Mickey took a stray shot in the shoulder. If anyone saw it, they didn't speak up, so he kept it hidden. He acted like the pain rippling down his arm and his chest wasn't real, he acted like the liquid dripping under his shirt was sweat, or water from where it leaked into his clothes after making sure Ian was alive. 

Aside from that, him checking on Ian, no one moved. They were at a standstill, a draw. Quinn still had his gun up and pointed, as did the other twelve people behind Noah. It was clear who would win if they had an old fashioned shoot off, but they couldn't not try. They couldn't just sit there. 

The sirens could be heard in the distance and at any moment, the entire house would be swarmed. They'd all be arrested until they figured out what the hell happened. That's not what scared him the most. He could take a night or two in jail until the cops realized it was Noah who shot first, giving them all the permission they needed to defend themselves. That was easy. No, what scared him the most, what made his entire body cold, was them finding Ian. 

Ian couldn't just be locked in a cell and if he could, he wouldn't be. No, he'd be taken to some high tech, double high security laboratory and dissected. They'd poke and prod and take samples and run tests, ones that could possibly kill him. He'd be a sciences experiment, a play thing, an object. Someone would find out about him, someone with strings to pull until Ian had his own little fish tank to spend forever in. 

He'd be alone, he'd be in danger, surrounded by animals. 

Mickey couldn't let that happen. He would kill all twelve of Noah's men, not to mention Noah himself, before he let that happen. Given that, feeling it down to his core, was the other reason he felt brave enough, bold enough to move forward, making that the first movement since everyone went still. 

"Knox, you need to get Ian out of here." Mickey said as he kept inching closer to the pool, to Ian. "Now."

"He's not going anywhere." Noah snapped, holding the towel around the knife, trying to stop the bleeding. 

"Yes, the fuck he is." Mickey snapped back. "What do you think happens when the cops get here, hmm?"

"Easy, we all take a trip to jail. My mom bails me out and you all get stuck in holding for the long weekend while I take my prize and go."

Noah's men smirked. Mickey could see big green dollar signs in their eyes. They were probably counting all the ways they'd spend that cash, cars, houses, girls. Shit they didn't need. They'd blow it and blow it until there was none left. 

Morons. 

"You're more of an idiot than I gave you credit for, Wilcox." Mickey laughed. "Yeah, the cops are gonna get here, see a real live mermaid and just hold it for you until mommy and daddy bail you out. That sound like a plan?"

Finally, realization hit him hard and his eyes widened in panic. 

"I'm not just gonna let him go, Mick. Not again."

"You don't have a fucking choice." Mickey walked freely around the deck, not caring about the guns aimed at him. He dug through their dive bags and palmed a Scorkl, the same device he used to take that tracker out of Ian's tail, then tossed it to Knox. "He is leaving and you don't get to do anything about it."

Noah chewed on his inner cheek for a moment, clearly trying to find another plan that would work, but there was nothing else. Cops were coming from the street, boats were coming up the water, there was no way out. 

"If you're as good as you think you are, you shouldn't have a hard time getting to him again," Mickey dug into his pocket and slipped his keys into Knox's, without letting Noah see it. "But I wouldn't recommend it because if you haven't noticed, he's just not gonna roll the fuck over and let you take him. And neither will I."

"You can't let him get away." Goon number one blurted, eyes wide, jaw clenched. 

Mickey rolled his own eyes. "Yes, he can. And he will. Mommy won't keep funding your operation with shitty results like this. Gotta up your game or find a new one."

When Noah still didn't say anything, Mickey knew he had him. There really was no other choice. With a wave of Noah's hand, his men lowered their guns before they put them away. 

The entire deck seemed to take a deep breath. Shoulders relaxed from their tense positions, jaws unclenching, fists too. Fears of death temporality on hold. 

"Mickey, I don't want to go." 

Mickey bent down, taking Ian's face into his hands, not giving a single fuck that everyone was watching. "You have to. There isn't a choice. You stay, they will take you."

Green eyes watered. "You're hurt, I don't want to leave you."

Of course, Ian would be the one to notice his wound. He could probably smell it, if the blood soaking up his shirt wasn't a clue. But it was enough to get everyone's attention. Knox came forward with a towel and pressed it hard against his arm. 

"I'm fine, but you need to go." Mickey held the towel and put his hand on Knox's shoulder and brought him down to his level. "Get him out of here."

"This won't last forever." Knox wiggled the Scorkl. "It'll last maybe half an hour or more if I push it."

"We don't have time for a tank, Knox. They're coming now." Mickey looked down at Ian. "Use it as long as you can. You should be able to get you back to the marina. Check my boat out and get him away."

"Mickey."

One hand dropped down and wound in Ian's hair. Stroking, petting, smoothing it back until he could breathe again. "He will tell you a safe place he can be until he heals."

"What about the rest of you? They're gonna toss your asses in jail."

"Need you for that too. We should be settled by the time you're done. Bail us out, one, two, it doesn't matter. We need out of this shit as soon as fucking possible."

It took a second, Mickey could see Knox fighting with it all but he nodded and Mickey took half a second to rest against his shoulder. He was getting dizzy, lightheaded. 

"Come on," Mickey pushed away and tossed the towel down. He jumped back into the pool and took Ian in his arms. "Baby, you have to go, please. I'll be okay."

Ian shook his head, his grip tight on Mickey's arms. "You're losing too much blood. Way too much."

A siren sounded in the background, under all those cops sirens. "An ambulance is coming too, I'll be okay. But they can't see you."

When Ian went to speak, Mickey shook his head and kissed him hard for a moment. He pulled back and wiped the tears from his cheeks, then hugged him to his chest. 

"I love you." Ian said against his bloodied shirt. 

Squeezing his eyes closed, Mickey whispered the words back to him, then slowly led him to the edge of the pool, where the open ocean was. Knox jumped in, putting his mask and the Scorkl on, then took ahold of Ian's sides and helped lower him into the water. 

It felt like goodbye. 

"You can trust him, Ian." Mickey said when Ian looked at Knox with wide eyes. "He'll take care of you until I can."

Knox tossed one of Ian's arms over his shoulder, making him lean against his side. "Call me when they let you and I'll get you out."

Mickey bent enough to bump his fist with Knox and share a quick kiss with Ian before he pulled back. He slipped on the side of the pool and caught himself just before he fell. Sagging against it, he lost whatever was left of his energy.

"I will, just go." 

Watching Ian leave one always one of the hardest, most painful things he'd ever experienced. It meant something was wrong, it meant they'd be apart for a while. It felt like he was drowning. Ian was hurt and he couldn't help him, he couldn't take care of him. 

Together, they sank under the water. Both pairs of eyes on him the entire time, like saying goodbye all over again. Goodbyes were hard, but he knew it wouldn't be for long. If Ian stayed, he could count on never seeing him again. And that he couldn't live with.

"Please tell me I didn't just see all that." Noah said, shaking his head in disgust. 

Mickey didn't move, he just lifted his arm and flipped him off with borrowed energy. "You have no idea about what you just saw because people like you don't deserve shit like that. Especially not you, Noah."

"Mick, what do we do?" Mandy asked as she stepped up to him. Together they got him out of the pool and seated on the edge. "How do we explain this?"

Mickey winced as the towel was once again placed on his shoulder. He hated the fact that he was so dizzy he leaned against her for help. "We can't tell them the truth, obviously. We say what happened, Noah's men shot first."

"Yeah, because your stupid fish stabbed me!"

"He should have killed you." Mickey shot back through clenched teeth, glaring. "Just blame this shit on your trigger happy henchmen and move it along. They're dead, they won't mind."

The sirens were approaching fast, Mickey could almost feel the rumble of their engines. 

"You're losing too much blood." Mandy said in a panic. 

Mickey looked down and his vision blurred, making things appear in twos and threes. His shoulder was bleeding badly, soaking through the white towel in seconds. He could feel his energy draining as his blood did.

"They're almost here, Mickey, just hold the fuck on." Iggy snapped, almost meanly but Mickey could hear how worried he was. "I'll let them in."

While Iggy went inside, Quinn unloaded the gun and set it on one of the tables, in plain sight, just to ward off some of the panic that would appear as soon as their place was overrun with cops. Anyone with a gun would instantly be arrested, they'd be treated differently from the others. 

"Where the hell are they!" Mandy barked, her voice cracking as she cried. 

"I'm fine, Mandy." Mickey lied, smiling through the pain. Even when his eyes fluttered closed for a moment, he kept up that lie. "I've had worse beatings from Terry. This is nothing."

Mandy let out a wet laugh. "You're a shitty liar, Mick. I don't even know why you try."

He blinked again and suddenly Quinn was kneeling down, putting yet another towel on his shoulder, pressing hard. "You guys need to make sure Ian is okay if something happens."

Their eyes went wide. "Mickey, nothing is gonna happen."

"Just in case." He assured her by squeezing her other hand. "Shit goes wrong all the time, we all know that. If it does…"

"Stop it!" Mandy sobbed, tears streaming down her face. 

"If it does, you have to promise me you'll help him." Mickey continued as if she hadn't said anything. "Please."

Iggy moved to his side, bending down to take his hand and gave it a hard squeeze. "We'll make sure he's fine, Mick. But you're gonna be just fine, okay? He doesn't need us, he needs you."

The words, the promise calmed him enough to keep his eyes closed. It didn't hurt anymore, just an echo of what it had been. He didn't feel dizzy anymore either. He just felt a sense of calm, of peace.

"He needs as many people as he can get." Mickey mumbled. His head lolled to the side, resting on Mandy's chest and if he wasn't so out of it, it would probably be weird. "He deserves good people "

Then suddenly, like a switch had been flipped, everything went dark. No lights, no sounds, no pain, no fear. No nothing. Just nothingness. 

In the far reaches of his mind, Mickey knew something was wrong. He knew he was dying. And there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing he could do, was hope that his family kept their promise to him, to make sure that Ian was safe. 

**

(Ian's POV)

He was utterly exhausted.

Ian was spread across the deck of Mickey's boat, looking up into the dark sky, watching the clouds and the stars with a certain interest he hadn't had before. His body was useless. Exhausted, wounded. Swimming while he was hurt was a bad idea, it would only make things worse, and if he hadn't, he and Knox would have been seen.

That couldn't happen. 

They made it safely to the boat, mostly by him swimming as fast as he could for as long as he could, which was still faster than the average human, and pulled Knox along with him. Once they got to the marina, his energy gave out and Knox got them safely to the boat. 

How Knox managed to get him on the boat was a mystery. All he could remember was holding onto the side of the boat, trying not to pass out, while Knox talked with the humans at the dock. Then suddenly he woke up on top, moving as fast as possible away from land until only the ocean surrounded them. 

A few times the boat would slow and suddenly a bucket of water was being poured on his tail. That had to have been the best part. Laying topside, even under the stars and away from the sun, was draining. It sucked away all his energy, as did the lack of water. Each bucket kept him from death, but it would only last so long before he needed to be submerged entirely.

He wasn't sure where they were going yet, or how fast, but he trusted Mickey's judgment on his humans, on their humans, enough to put his faith in Knox, to put his life in his hands. Literally. At this moment, without Knox, he would die. 

Being as exhausted as he was worried about his human, Ian drifted in and out of a restless sleep. It was more to conserve energy and try to heal then it was about actual sleep. The longer he was out, the better he felt when he woke up. It wasn't enough though, but it was the best he could do. 

When his eyes opened the last time, the sky stopped moving. The boat was gently rocking back and forth with the force of the waves. Humans would get sea sick from it, but for him, it brought an alarming amount of calmness down around him. He missed the water, the waves, the safety. 

"Ian, can you hear me?"

That was Knox. That much he could tell. His eyes had closed again for a moment but when they opened, Knox was leaning over him and he had a clear view of his worried green eyes. 

"Did we stop?" Ian asked, startled by the sound of his voice, he cleared it with a cough. 

"Yeah, for now. Mickey said you would know where to go." 

"I'm not in the water." Ian said. He lifted his head to look around.

"Yeah, I had to put you up here. I'm sorry. You were attracting sharks and all kinds of shit around us."

Ian knew where he was. That's not what he meant. But Knox didn't know that. "If I'm not in the water, I don't know where we are."

"Uh, yeah, okay." Knox stood and gave a look around. "We are about twenty miles South of the marina. I had no idea where I was going but we needed to get away. Does that help?"

Ian nodded. "I have a place about ten miles from here. Head East for about five minutes at top speed. You'll come to a collection of rocks. They surround a hidden cave halfway under water. I'll be safe there."

That cave was nearly thirty feet below the surface. Which for him wasn't a lot, but he had a human with him, one that couldn't breathe under the water. But that was the least of their problems. Ian stayed away from that cave unless it was a dire emergency. It was unstable, rocks had fallen from the walls, sometimes when he was in there, nearly crushing him. It was a risk, but they didn't have a choice. 

"Can you hold on until then?" Knox asked again. 

When a rough human hand swiped across his tail, Ian flinched. It wasn't a bad touch overall. It wasn't just to get a feel of a mermaid. Knox was checking the moisture on it, seeing if he needed more water, which he did. 

"I'm fine for now." Ian lied, not wanting to make a big fuss. He wasn't sure how many times Knox stopped for water but he could guess it was more than five. "Just drive, then I need in the water."

Knox left without another word and Ian could hear his boots on the deck, then the loud scrape of a metal bucket before the sounds of rushing water. He smiled and shook his head, maybe all humans really were as stubborn as his was. They tended no to listen very well. 

"I said I was fine." Ian said when Knox came back over with the bucket and knelt down beside him. 

"Yeah, but I know you're as hard-headed as Mickey is." He gave his own smile and slowly tipped the bucket from Ian's hips, all the way down all six feet of his tail. "One more won't hurt."

The effect was instant, like that power nap. It helped just enough to keep him awake, to keep him alive. And he was beyond grateful. When Knox went to move, he reached out quickly and grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Thank you." Ian said quickly, feeling uncomfortable just touching someone that wasn't Mickey. He let go as soon as possible. "For helping me."

"You don't have to thank me for that, Ian." Knox replied softly. "You take care of him, we take care of you. That's how it works with us."

With their mutual understanding, Knox walked back to the wheel. Ian laid back, rubbing his hand against the side of his tail, like he was scraping the feeling off it from touching someone else. It wasn't a bad feeling, just weird. To him, Mickey felt different than all the other humans. 

As the boat sped along the water at breakneck speed, Ian had a chance to think about what happened. Not about his actions, per say, because he thought them over carefully before he executed them. He thought about what started all of it. About what Noah said, about what he and Mickey used to be to each other. 

Was that the truth? Did Mickey really used to be with Noah in that way? Intimately? 

From what Ian had seen of Noah, there was nothing redeeming about him. He was cold, mean, vindictive. It was like he had no soul, no conscience. He cared only of himself. Ian couldn't see Mickey with a man like that, one so opposite of him. 

Even when he was disinclined to believe Noah, the explanation came from Mickey himself. The truth, if Ian had to guess because Mickey didn't lie. There was no need. So, it was true. He and Noah were together in ways he and Mickey were together... maybe more in depth since they were both human. 

A painful feeling sprouted in his stomach, a knot, a ball of anxiety and sickness. Just the idea of Mickey being with someone else like that, touching and kissing and feeling all those tingly feelings Mickey coaxed from him, made him sick. It made him doubt all that they'd done together, all they'd learned from each other. 

Was Noah a better lover than he was? He could certainly satisfy Mickey properly, unlike Ian could. He didn't have what Mickey needed to do it the right way, at least not all the time. A few hours a day with a human body was all he was allowed. 

What did that mean for him and Mickey? What did all that was revealed change between them? 

Tears welled in his eyes. Ian let them fall, mostly because he needed the moisture on his face, but he was also too weak to brush them away. So they fell. Steadily, silently, painfully. 

Now Mickey was hurt because of him, because of his actions. If he'd have just left Noah alone, then Mickey wouldn't have gotten shot. Then other humans wouldn't be on the way to take Mickey away, Mandy too. Now they had to be apart until the time was right. 

"It's all my fault." Ian said quietly. He said it to the stars that flashed periodically at him. Tears streamed down his temples. "It's all my fault."

Boots sounded behind him and Ian couldn't even try to stop crying. He just didn't have the energy right now. Even laying there doing nothing was proving to be harder than he imagined. 

"Ian, what happened was not your fault." Knox said quietly as he moved around to face him. "This is all on Noah."

"Noah only reacted when I acted." Ian said softly, the tears pouring faster. "I caused this. I attacked him, of course they attacked us and Mickey got hurt."

Before he realized what happened, Ian's face was being cradled between both of Knox's big, tattooed hands and he was looking into worried green eyes. It was intimate, but not in the same way he was with Mickey, this was different. 

"Ian, just stop, please?" Knox pleased and shook him a little. "We both already know that Noah doesn't need a reason to attack us or you. He's already done that. And he would have done much worse if you hadn't done anything."

Ian cried harder, his eyes closing for a moment. 

"You gave us our best shot by hitting them first. He didn't expect it." 

"But Mickey--"

"Mickey would have done the exact same thing." Knox interjected, cutting off Ian's words. "The only thing I would have done differently, is I would have killed him."

Ian opened his eyes, knowing he looked a little freaked out. Had he been trying to kill Noah? Probably not. He just wanted him to stop talking about what he and Mickey did in their past. He didn't want any more of the details rattling around in his brain. Enough damage was already done. 

Knox released him after a moment and Ian was both grateful and missed the touch. He stepped back enough to give him some space, but kept down at his level so he could see him. 

"Mickey will be fine. They will fix him up at the hospital and once I get you situated, I can work on getting him back to you."

That was just what he needed to happen. He needed his human. To see him, to know he was okay, to hold him, to kiss him, to see kind, loving blue eyes. But to do that, he needed to get himself together and let Knox do what Mickey asked him to do. 

"Are we here?" Ian asked, worming away from all the heavy, emotional talk and Knox seemed grateful for it. 

"Yeah, I did what you told me." Knox stood and pointed to the rocks. "Before we get in the water, I have to do something about your side. You're losing blood and getting into the water that way is dangerous."

Ian looked down at his side and maybe that's why he was so cold. He was laying in a pool of blood and it was only growing. Over his wound was what looked like a white towel, only it wasn't white anymore, but red. He hadn't remembered Knox doing that either. 

"We?" Ian asked after a moment. 

Knox looked at him like a stubborn child. "Yes, we. There is no way you can make it thirty steps across the boat, let alone thirty feet down in the dark."

"I can see in the dark." Ian said, not wanting to be babied. At least not by Knox. "I can make it."

"Forget it." Knox said loudly as he jogged across the boat, opened a hatch on the side and pulled out a first aid bag, then moved back. "If I let you go, Mick would kill me."

When he tried to sit up, to prove he was fine, he couldn't. He sat up only a forth of the way and his arms shook so badly they buckled and he had to lay back down, clutching his side. Okay, so swimming alone would be a bad idea. Any number of things could happen, large predators like sharks, being too weak to hide from passing boats like Noah's, or the worst part, him turning into a human and stuck in the middle of the ocean instead of a secure cave with plenty of air. 

But the idea of letting Knox risk his own life for him didn't sit well either. He didn't like Mickey doing it, he didn't like Knox doing it. If anything happened to them, it would be his fault and he was almost certain he wouldn't be able to live with himself. 

"Don't even try to argue, it's useless." Knox opened the bag and riffled through the contents for what he needed. "Okay, now to get you fixed up. It looks pretty deep, and considering the bleeding I might need to stitch you up."

Ian tensed. "And what all does that entail?"

Knox held up a needle and thread for Ian to see. "I need to stitch you up, which will probably hurt but I still have some of that stuff we used on your tail to numb it, if you want."

"I don't want any of it." Ian glared at the items but knew he didn't have a choice. Knox was only being nice and informing him of what was going to happen. "Will that stuff work like it did last time?"

Knox nodded. "It should. It's a numbing agent and an antibacterial so it kinda does two jobs. Makes it hurt less and gets any kind of infection out."

Without a choice, Ian relaxed as much as possible and let one hand fall away from his side. Knox took that as a sign to go ahead and Ian watched him bring out the same tube of medicine Mickey used once before. He opened it, put a little on just the tips of his fingers and applied it right to the wound. 

Ian hissed, tensing without meaning to. It hurt, but only for a second. Knox was quick, touching him as little as possible until he pulled his hand back and whatever that stuff was started to work. He laid back down, his entire body relaxing from the lack of pain. He just stayed there for a minute and Knox let him. 

"That feel okay?"

Ian nodded. "I don't feel it anymore."

Knox smiled as he carefully threaded the needle while Ian's eyes were closed. "Good, just keep still and don't open your eyes. It'll be over before you know it."

Once again trusting him, Ian did as he was asked and kept his eyes closed. He didn't feel anything and almost asked if Knox would hurry up and start before he felt a little pressure, but absolutely no pain. He settled, thinking about Mickey again, it was both a relief and worrisome all rolled up together.

"There you go." Knox said after awhile and clipped the needle off the thread and tossed it aside. "I still need to wrap it up."

Ian opened his eyes and looked down, surprised to see the rather long gash now closed up, no longer leaking blood. "Wow, that worked."

Knox laughed. "Yeah, it's supposed to work. It'll help you heal faster too." He dug back into the bag and unwrapped a waterproof bandage. "This just covers it, it'll keep the water out and help with infection as well."

That was painless also. It was stuck to his side and covered the wound completely. When Knox moved, Ian poked at it, feeling it tightly stuck on his skin. Then he twisted his body back and forth, seeing that it moved with him and didn't slip off. 

"Thank you." Ian said as he met his eyes. He might have even smiled a little because Knox smiled too. 

"You're welcome Ian." Knox stood and set the bag aside, then moved for his wetsuit and the oxygen tank kept in a corner. "Just gimme a second to suit up, then we can go. What do I need to know about this cave?"

Ian managed to sit up and prop up against one side of the boat. He sagged back, hating that just a little effort drained all his energy. "A lot, actually. For one it's extremely dangerous. The whole thing is compromised. There are walls that cave in, rocks blocking a few of the entrances, it's not the ideal spot."

Knox stopped pulling up his suit and turned to look at Ian. "Well, I wasn't expecting that. Are we even going to be able to get inside?"

Ian shrugged. "I only use it for emergencies. Ones that can't wait for me to swim to another location. It's different every time I come and I always manage to find a way in and out without getting hurt."

"I don't like it." Knox said but knew they had no choice and continued to put his suit on. "Thirty feet should be no trouble for me, though. I'm certified to go a lot deeper than that."

Ian relaxed a little at that. Knox did seem to know his way on and around the water, much like Mickey did. It gave him comfort to know that Knox would be able to handle it if something went wrong, like a possible cave-in or any dangerous predators. 

"Once you get me in, you have to leave." Ian left no room for discussion and once again Knox turned to look at him. "We need to find out what's going on with Mickey and the others."

"I'm not going anywhere until I feel like you're going to be okay without me." Knox also said it like he wasn't in the mood to compromise. "I'm bringing water if you need it, fresh water, I'll collect whatever you need for food, anything to make sure you'll be okay until we come back."

Humans were so...mushy.

Ian wanted to be irritated but couldn't. Knox was doing exactly what Mickey would have done if their places had been switched and he couldn't find it in him to be annoyed. Just grateful and maybe a little mushy himself at times. None of which Knox had to know about. 

Without wanting to fight, Ian nodded, accepting his answer. "I'll be okay without food. We ate just before all this happened. Fresh water will help later on…" he didn't say when he was human because Knox didn't know and he wasn't sure he'd be alone that long. "What I really need is to be in the water. That heals me faster than anything else will."

Knox drug his tank to the open side of the boat, then slipped his mask on top of his head before he walked towards Ian. "You'll be in soon enough. We can work on the rest after."

Ian nodded his agreement and didn't tense up when Knox helped him closer to the water. He bent down and easily picked him up, holding his weight like it was nothing. Their faces were close, which made Ian a little uncomfortable, but Knox didn't waste any time and carried him over to where his tank was and carefully sat him down. 

Just as Knox was about to put his tank on and slip into the water, Ian heard a little jingle on the other side of the boat. He cocked his head to the side as Knox's eyes widened and he ran towards the sound. 

"Hello?" Knox answered in a huff, breathless and worried. 

Ian listened, and it sounded like Mickey's brother, Iggy, but also a little like Quinn. He heard Mickey's name several times, prompting him to focus solely on the conversation and nothing else. 

"Are you sure? Is it that bad?" Knox asked again, rubbing over his face. 

This had to be about Mickey. It had to be and Ian didn't like the sound of Knox's voice, or the words coming at him from the other end. He could see that Knox was worried, afraid, his face and his body language gave him away, as did the high pitched tone of his voice. 

"I'm with Ian right now, helping him get situated, then I'll be right there." Knox waited a moment, then Ian heard Mandy on the other end for a moment. "Iggy, just keep asking the doctors what's going on. Don't let them keep you in the dark."

Ian's eyes widened a little. Then he heard a word he wasn't familiar with but when Knox repeated it, his voice cracked with emotion and Ian could see his eyes water. 

"Love you too man, be safe." Knox said and ended the call, then casually wiped his face. "Ready?"

As soon as Knox was close enough, Ian reached out and snatched his wrist, keeping him from moving with a fierce grip. "What happened?"

Knox shook his head. "Iggy just wanted to say that Mickey was being treated for his injuries and they were trying to clear things up with the cop."

"Yeah, I heard that much." Ian tried to search his eyes but Knox couldn't meet his. "What else is wrong?"

"Nothing, it's nothing."

Ian squeezed until Knox grunted and tried to pull away. Held tightly, thankful he was stronger than a human. "There is something you're not telling me and if it has anything to do with my human, you better tell me right now."

There was no room for discussion, yet Knox still seemed to have trouble saying it. His mouth opened and closed a time or two, trying to get the words out but in the end, there was nothing. 

"They said Mickey was in a coma?" Ian asked, trying out the foreign word for the first time. That's when Knox met his eyes, probably surprised he heard that far away. "Tell me what that means."

With a deep breath and another rub across his face, Knox leaned against the side of the boat. "The doctors at the hospital-- people that help injured people, they put him in a medically induced coma. That means that they gave him medicine that makes him sleep while he heals."

Ian scrunched his eyebrows. "Okay, so if he's only sleeping, why are you so worried? It has to be more than that. Why did they do this coma thing for him? He said he was fine."

"Iggy said that as soon as we left, he passed out, probably from blood loss." Knox hated the distraught look on Ian's face, but kept talking. "We saw the wound in his shoulder, but apparently another one grazed the side of his head and no one knew until they got him to the hospital."

"Oh, no." Ian gasped, tears filling his eyes. 

He didn't know much about places called hospitals or doctors or all that stuff, but he knew that any injury to the head was always a bad thing, a serious thing. "Will he be okay?"

"Head injuries are tricky, which is why they induced a coma. It'll help any swelling that might have occured and help for a speedy recovery. Iggy said it wasn't a clear shot, meaning he didn't get shot in the head or anything, but it was deep enough for them to worry."

Ian felt bile rise in his stomach and had to fight not to get sick. That would only make him feel worse. As much as he didn't like hearing the awful details, he would have demanded it if Knox held anything back. 

"Okay," Ian cleared his throat and rubbed over his own face. He couldn't meet Knox's eyes. He just stared down into the water. Finding no peace this time. "But he's alive, right?"

With a sad smile, Knox nodded. "He is. And they say he's doing good. They took care of his shoulder and his head, gave him back the blood he lost, now we just wait until he wakes up."

Knox was still holding something back, he could feel it but he couldn't bring himself to ask. Mickey was alive and with people that would help him and even when he didn't know what all the risks were with this coma thing, he believed Mickey would be okay. He knew he would be okay. 

"We should go then because you need to be there when he wakes up." Ian said as a matter of fact and Knox didn't disagree. "Are we ready?"

Turning away, Knox pulled the tank on his back, then slowly climbed down the side and into the cold, dark water. "I'm going to help you in, then you stay on me the whole time. Help if you can, hold on tightly if you can't and we can make it."

About twenty feet out, Ian could see the tip of a shark fin just above the water. Knox wouldn't be able to see it unless he turned his light on. Ian kept it to himself as he slipped off the boat and into the water. Knox knowing something was already with them wouldn't help any, it would make it worse 

"Alright, now hold onto the boat for a minute. When I give the signal, take hold of my arm and we go down."

Ian held onto the boat and watched Knox pull his mask down, then put the thing he needed to breathe with in his mouth. The overhead light was turned on and strong arms were held open for him. Ian took one hand in his own and allowed himself to be pulled away from the boat. 

At the same time, they both slipped below the water, slowly. Ian let his eyes adjust to the water, trying not to relish in the feeling of his tail in the water for too long, and kept a hold of Knox's arm tightly. 

They shared a look, then Ian pointed down. From this height, even with Knox's light, he wouldn't be able to see the entrance, or the side of the rocks as they descended. Knox was the one who squeezed his arm, letting that fear show for a moment before he was swimming down. 

Ian did his best to help, swishing his tail hard and fast to get them lower, but it came in spurts. He'd have a limited amount of energy for a few moments, lowering them a few feet before it would dissipate and Knox would pick up the slack. They helped each other the entire way down, giving the other a break when it was needed, leaning on the other for support. 

Soon enough Knox was able to see the mouth of the cave, nestled on the side of one crumbling rock. Ian pointed at it anyway as they tread water for a moment. He pointed to where it had collapsed, the loose rocks hanging halfway off the rock formation. One rock slid down just enough to slice the entrance in half, creating two entrances. One up top, then one below the fallen rock. 

It looked worse than Ian imagined it would and he could feel Knox's hesitation. His fear. Ian was afraid also if he was being honest, for this was one of the worst possible places to be when they needed a safe haven. 

Without a choice, Ian was the one to pull on Knox, getting them going again. They moved slowly until they reached the mouth, then stopped, treading water again. Ian pointed to the bottom half of the entrance, for the top had broken shards split in multiple directions. They knew instantly that they'd have to go in one at a time, and not together. There was just no room. 

But who went first? 

Knox decided that for them. Ian met his eyes through the foggy mask and they darted down, then back to his eyes. Letting him know that Knox wanted him to go first. Ian agreed with that before Knox even told him. If he went in first, Knox would be there to help him inside instead of leaving him vulnerable on the outside with only a crumbling rock to hold onto. 

Their arms unlinked from each other and Ian was already swimming towards the mouth. Knox had both hands on either side of him, propelling him forward. Just before he slipped inside, Ian tucked his arms close to his body and hoped that the swish of his tale didn't touch either side of the wall. If one fell, he would probably be trapped and there was no way Knox could get him out. 

Safely on the other side, Ian took a deep breath and tried to steady the shaking of his shoulders. They weren't out of the woods yet, Knox still had to get through before he would call it a success. To get through, Knox had to tread over an entire ocean of dark, open water as he shrugged off the tank then slowly slid it through. Ian grabbed it and held it steady as Knox squeezed his way past. 

The cave gave a low rumble, but otherwise didn't move or crumble on top of them. Ian helped Knox put the tank back on and Knox instantly put one arm around his waist and headed up. It took longer than it normally did simply because he could swim faster than any human, but Knox was a damn good swimmer and got them there within a few minutes. 

They breached the surface and Ian began to drag him over to the ground. It wasn't as large as the one he and Mickey got stuck in, about a forth of that size, but it would do for now and Ian was grateful they made it. Ian jumped up to take a seat on the edge with his tail in the water, then reached down and helped Knox pull himself out of the water. 

"Fuck." Knox said as he laid on his back and took his mask and mouthpiece off. "I seriously thought a shark was going to snatch me when you went in."

Ian smiled and laid back beside him. "Yeah, I saw a few while we were out there but it was surprisingly calm tonight."

Knox scoffed. "Thanks for not telling me. I'd have been more of a nervous wreck. And I'm used to the water, it shouldn't freak me out so much."

"I've lived my entire life in the water. Trust me, it's okay to be afraid of it sometimes." Ian hoped that eased his mind, at least for the moment. "But the water is the least of our problems. You need to go."

Knox sat up, rubbing over his face. "I literally just got here."

Ian sat up as well and checked the bandage on his side. It was still intact, although sore from swimming. "Yeah, and like I said before, I'm fine here. I'd rather know what's happening with Mickey."

"From the way Iggy sounded, we won't get a chance to talk to Mickey tonight. Maybe not even tomorrow. Comas are tricky."

"I believe that, but I still want to know what's going on and unless you're gonna carry me to him, you better go." 

They stared at each other, wondering who was going to win the stare down. And when no one looked away, they smiled and laughed. Breaking the tension. 

"Okay, I'll go, but I want to check something first." Knox stood up and dug into his jeans for his phone. It was wrapped tightly in plastic. He took it out and held it up, looking for a signal. "I'm surprised, you actually have service in here."

Ian tilted his head. "I have no idea what that means."

Laughing, Knox took a seat once more and showed Ian his phone. "A cell phone signal, it lets you call people. I'm sure you've seen Mickey use it."

Ian nodded but his eyes were cast down on the bright screen. 

"Well, the signal isn't the best in here but it'll do. I'm gonna leave it here with you that way I can use a different phone to call you."

"I have no idea how to use that thing." Ian moved over when Knox tried to hand it to him. "I'll probably just break it."

"Not if you're careful." Knox laughed and tried to give it to him again. "If you don't want it, I won't make you. But it'll help, it'll let you know how Mickey's doing long before I make it back here."

Technology had never been a part of his life. Not even all those months as a human. He had been interested in the world and people, not what kept people away from the world and each other. The only thing he had was the watch Mickey had given him, which was no longer on his wrist. Now Knox wanted him to take on another foreign item. 

"I do want to know how he is as soon as possible." Ian said after a moment and finally took the phone. He didn't even like the way it felt in his hand. "Just show me how to call you, or what to do when you call me. I don't care about the other stuff."

It took a little while, a lot of mess ups and left Ian a little aggravated, but Knox showed him how to call someone, Iggy specifically. Knox told him about something called speed dial. He was supposed to hit the #2 on the screen, then the green button and somehow that would get him to Iggy, to Knox. Then to answer a call, he just needed to slide the green button over, although he didn't understand why he had to slide it when it wouldn't go anywhere literally, he got the hang of it. 

It was maddening, but genius all at the same time. 

"Who's this?" Ian asked as a picture of Knox and a very beautiful woman popped up in the background. One that seemed familiar somehow, but that was an impossibility. They were holding each other, smiling. 

Knox grinned. "That's my girlfriend, Sammi."

"She's very beautiful." Ian commented genuinely. "Have you been together for a long time?"

"Seems that way sometimes. Five years in December. We met when we were overseas, she's not military but she's a marine biologist, she loves the water and so do I."

Ian handed the phone back when Knox couldn't stop looking at it. He was happy, but sad at the same time. "I'm guessing you guys aren't together all the time."

"Not as much as either of us would like." Knox admitted as he thumbed over the picture. "Our work kinda keeps us apart. But it's what we love to do, so we make time when we can."

"I don't think I could go so long without seeing Mickey." Ian admitted with a blush. "Even a few hours seems like too long."

"Yeah, I feel the same way. But I'd never ask her to leave her work for me and she would never ask me to leave for her. That's what love is, Ian. It's not just loving and being together, it's staying together when it's hard, when it feels like you might not make it."

As much as he wished Knox would leave, he was glad he stayed. They somehow fell into their personal lives without a fight and Ian had never been able to tell anyone about his feelings with Mickey. He didn't have anyone to talk to, until now. 

"I've thought a lot about what it's going to be like to live apart and I can say that I don't like it." Ian laughed a little but he knew Knox felt his sadness. He could hear it. "When all this is over, when Noah isn't a threat anymore, I don't know where that leaves us."

Knox narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Knox," Ian took a deep breath and was surprised at how shaky he exhaled. "We all know that this won't end well, Mickey and I. As much as I want it to, as much as he does, I don't think it can."

"Why not?"

"Because we literally can't be together." Ian looked at him, wondering why he didn't already know without him trying to explain. "I can't be with him on land, he can't be with me all the time in the water. We are literally from two different worlds. How is that supposed to work out?"

At that, Knox didn't have anything to say just yet. Ian knew he was trying to find the right thing to say, or offer some sort of explanation to why he was wrong, or why he was right. Or maybe he was just trying to spare his feelings. 

"This is what I was talking about. When shit gets hard, when it get complicated, when you still want it to work, that's when you know it's love. Real, painful love. And you fight for it."

Ian shook his head and looked down at his bare wrist, where the watch was. He rubbed over it, missing the feeling, wondering what had happened to it. He could feel Knox staring at him, waiting for his reply, but he didn't have one that would satisfy him on this. 

"Have you ever brought Mickey here before?" Knox asked, glancing around and saw a few personal items halfway buried under the sand near the wall. 

"Not here specially, but another place, and not the one we almost died at." Ian laughed a little, then Knox did. "I took him to a safer place, one he could get to on land. That was just this morning."

The memory seemed far away as if it had happened in another lifetime. They were happy and together, sharing kisses and touching and leaving the world behind just to be together. He could never remember being so happy, not like that, not in many, many years. And now it was gone, ruined within a few hours. Now he was once again stuck in a cave, worried about his life and Mickey's. 

"I know trying to establish a relationship right now is hard, especially because Noah is determined to kill all of us, but you guys are making it work. You're staying together through it all, fighting together. You know that counts for something."

Ian nodded, unsure if he felt the same way now that Mickey was hurt. "It counts, but does it really matter if we can't be together in the end?"

With a deep sigh, Knox gripped Ian's shoulder and squeezed a little in reassurance. "Unless you leave him, he will always be here, Ian. He loves hard, and with all that he is, with all he has. And he will never let you go, unless you leave on your own."

Ian squeezed his eyes closed as the tears built and slowly slid down his cheeks. "I can't imagine my life without him, but I can't picture our future either. I'm not sure what to do about that."

"You live, now. In this moment, in the next moment. You take it one step at a time and enjoy it all along the way. There is no reason to jump to the end of your story when you've only just started." Knox squeezed once more and dropped his arm. "Love is a wonderous thing, Ian. But it's one of those most painful things to be a part of. It's hard and complicated at times, but you can't walk away when it's real."

Ian elbowed him, making him laugh. 

"Fine, you can't swim away when it's real. My point still stands." Knox began to slip back into the top part of his wetsuit, getting ready to head back to the surface. "Just remember, you're one of us now, Ian. We care about you."

A real smile found its way to his lips z widening before he second guessed it. "I care about you guys as well. Mickey says that you guys are my humans, not just his."

Knox smiled. "We are your humans, you are our mermaid, it all works out pretty well if you ask me." 

"I need my human, Knox." Ian replied, his smile slipping within seconds. "I need him."

"And I'm going to make sure you have him, okay? We need him too, more than any of us would care to admit." Knox stood up, fixing his shirt when his dog tags jingled. 

"What's that?" Ian asked, looking up at the shiny metal hanging from his neck. 

Knox grabbed them and squeezed. "They're called dog tags. The military gives them to you when you join."

Military? Ian wasn't sure what that meant, but he didn't need every single detail. "What is their purpose?"

"Well, that's a little grim if you ask me." He took a seat again and pulled the tank on his back, but left the front of his suit open. "If you die serving your country, they are used to identify your body."

Ian's eyes widened. He knew all about war, he'd seen his fair share, but he'd never met a human who had. 

"They jam it between your teeth so it doesn't fall off and it makes it easier for them to tell who you are."

"That's awful." Ian shivered and wrapped his arms around his body. 

Knox laughed. "Yeah, like I said, it's a little grim. But if you don't die, they are there to remind you every day that you made it. That you survived."

Ian could relate, kind of. Not because he had some fancy necklace to remind him that he survived some horrible things. But he had his body, his scars, his memories. His newest scar, the one on his tail was a constant reminder. To the naked eye, or the human eye, it couldn't be seen. But Ian could see the way his scales grew back dented, uneven. And when his tale was gone, he had a scar on this thigh, thin and pale, but when he touched it he remembered what it felt like when he was hurt. 

That's how he knew he was alive. 

"You already know you're a survivor, Ian. You don't need a necklace to tell you." Knox yanked on one tag until it was free of the necklace, then handed it to Ian. "Here."

Ian took it with wide eyes. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Just in case you need a reminder, I suppose. It's helpful to hold onto something aside from just a memory. It helped me get through some bad times, maybe it'll help you too."

Giving someone a gift was always special. At least to his kind. It could mean friendship or love, depending on what was given. It was a treasure meant to be treasured. Like a memory you could hold. Ian had his fair share of items, coins and shells, but none had been given to him aside from when Mickey gave him a coin, then a snow globe and a watch, all gifts of love. 

But he'd never gotten one from a friend before. Maybe because he'd never had one. Until now. Ian squeezed it in his hand until the metal bit into his skin and suddenly felt like crying again. 

"Thank you." Ian said quietly without looking over because he knew his face would give him away. 

Knox reached out to squeeze Ian's shoulder again before he zipped up his suit all the way, put his mask on top of his head and slipped into the water. "I'll be as quick as I can. Just try and rest, heal as quickly as possible and I'll call when I know what's going on."

"You be careful, and please take care of him."

Knox smiled. "Always, Ian."

With that, Knox sank below the water, out of sight, headed back into the fight when he couldn't. So, Ian just sat there with his lower half in the water, looking at the shiny metal in his hand and wishing just for once, that he could control when his legs could come out. 

**

Two hours later, Knox arrived at the hospital. He signed in at the front desk, was directed up two floors to ICU and given Mickey's room number. Visiting hours were long over but he knew they'd all be in the waiting room anyway. 

Leaving Ian had been hard. Harder than he would have imagined. Especially after their little heart to heart talks, a cleansing of their souls, so to speak. It hadn't been an all around bad talk, mostly just honest, which included all their fears, as well as their hopes. Call it what you will, but they bonded over it and that was all that mattered. 

The hospital was as busy during the evening hours as it was the daylight hours, only fewer guests. Knox made his way up two floors without an issue, but was stopped at the second desk before he could move down to Mickey's room number. 

"Sir, visiting hours are over until tomorrow."

Knox gave her a kind smile. It was her job to enforce the rules, she didn't make them. Getting irritated at her wouldn't help, it might even make it worse for him and the rest of their family. It never hurt to be polite. 

"I understand, but my brother was admitted a few hours ago. I just want to make sure he is doing okay." Knox didn't lie, Mickey was like his brother. "Is there any chance I can see him for a minute, or just talk to someone about his condition?"

She seemed to consider it for a moment before she held up her finger. Knox nodded, watching as she picked up the desk phone and spoke quietly into it. It was a quick call and ended seconds later. 

"Your family is down the hall in the next waiting room. They are still waiting to hear back from the doctor about his current condition."

He exhaled a breath of relief. "Can I see him?"

"The doctor has ordered everyone to stay out until he comes to meet with you, which should be rather soon. Until then, you can join your family in the waiting room."

That was better than them kicking him out and he wouldn't question it. He offered another kind smile before getting directions to the waiting room. She pointed down the hallway to his left and told him to follow the signs. He thanked her, then went to find his family.

And just as she said, they were all waiting in the waiting room, looking about as tired as he felt. Still in their clothes from that afternoon, they had dark bags under their red rimmed eyes and looked one wrong move away from freaking out. 

Knox caught Iggy's eye first and brought him in close for a hug, then Quinn, then Mandy. He breathed them down like it had been years since they were all together. He was relieved they were safe, unharmed. 

"Hey, I didn't expect all of you to be here." Knox said after all the hugging was done. Mandy took a seat and wrapped a thin hospital grade blanket around her shoulders while Quinn paced the floor. "What happened when the cops showed?"

Iggy shook his head. "It went better than we thought. Noah took Mickey's advice and blamed it all on his dead crew. He said they jumped the gun."

"Okay, good. Glad that didn't go the other way." Knox took another deep breath and ignored the signs of fatigue. "And Mick, how is he really?"

"The doctors say he will be fine. The shoulder injury was nothing, he's had many of those types before and he just wrapped a bar towel around it and let it heal on its own."

Mandy laughed a little. 

"And his head?"

Iggy shook his head, then rubbed both hands down the back to grip his hair. "So far they say it was just a graze. It it happened on any other part of his body, he could slap a band-aid on it and walk away but they are worried about internal bleeding and swelling."

"Fuck." His next breath felt like he was about to be sick. He kept breathing shallowly and started to pace like Quinn did. "And when do we know for sure?"

"They took x-rays, scans, all that technical shit. Now we are just waiting for the results."

That was a lot to take in within ten minutes of being there. But there was no use to drag it out, that would only make it worse. He just needed to remain as calm as possible, take deep breaths and try to push through it all. 

"Any word about Noah?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Unfortunately." Iggy glared, cursing under his breath. "He's down the fucking hallway with a group of goons to protect him."

"Well we are Mickey's group of goons." Knox pointed out and Mandy chuckled once again. "Make sense that he would want them too."

"Ian should have killed him."

"Speaking of Ian, how is he?" Mandy asked, standing next to them with the blanket wrapped around her. 

"He's safe, for now. His wound wasn't as bad as I thought. A few stitches took care of it."

They all seemed to take a collective breath of relief. It showed him just how much Ian meant to them, to all of them. 

"But I don't like him out there alone. The only reason I left is because he made me."

Iggy smiled. "Oh, he made you?"

"Yes, he did." Knox shoved at his shoulder playfully. "He wanted to know how Mickey was and was ready to climb back on the boat until I agreed to leave."

"He is a tough bastard, I'll give him that." Iggy said with nothing but respect. Quinn gave a nod of agreement. "He's already tried to kill Noah on multiple occasions and given the chance, he'd do it again."

"Yeah, I know he would and now I think that Noah understands that. He didn't take Ian seriously until recently and it could have killed him."

"We can only wish." Mandy glared, then moved away from them. "I'm going for coffee."

"Yes, please before I fall the fuck over." Quinn hugged her on the way out and slipped her some money. "Be careful."

Now forced to wait, Knox took a seat in one of the many uncomfortable looking chairs. He leaned all the way back until his head hit the wall, then crossed his arms across his chest and shut his eyes. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. Just like the rest of them were.

Iggy sat down beside him, close enough for their arms to touch. It was unnecessary, but the touch was welcome and comforting. For a while they just sat there, enjoying the silence, the dash of peace in a chaotic time. 

"Ian is worried about Mick." Knox said quietly. Iggy looked over, his eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, I imagine he is."

"When we find out what's going on, I need to use your phone and call him."

Iggy scrunched his eyebrows. "You left him your phone?"

Knox nodded.

"I hope you taught him how to use it."

"It took awhile, but he got the hang of it." Knox smiled. "I'll probably head back once we get all the details. He doesn't need to be alone."

"You are fucking exhausted, man." Iggy noted each time Knox blinked, it got harder and harder to open his eyes. "You should let someone else go."

Just as he was about to tell him no, that he needed to go personally, the door to their right opened and out walked a doctor in scrubs with a clipboard. They all stood, then Mandy came rushing back in, nearly spilling the tray of coffees.

"Family of Mickey Milkovich?"

"Yes." They all said together and the doctor smiled. He looked just as exhausted as they were, more so even. 

"How is he?" Knox asked, crossing his arms across his chest. 

"He is resting, which is what he needs." The doctor flipped through his stack of papers. "As you know, the wound to his shoulder was minor. The bullet went through and we were able to patch him up fairly quickly."

Given that it was already known, they didn't sigh in relief,Knox did because to him it was new, hearing it from a medical professional was new and comforting to hear again. 

"And the rest?" Iggy asked, getting impatient. 

"As far as we can tell from all the tests and x-rays, his skull is not damaged in any way. It was a surface wound, meaning it only skimmed the side of his head. There are no signs of swelling or internal bleeding, which is what we were worried about."

Now they took that deep breath, like someone pulled a rug from their feet and left them a little out of sorts for the moment. 

"I am going to keep him in the coma overnight, possibly into tomorrow afternoon, just to be safe. But he is out of the woods."

Knox wanted to reach out and hug the fuck out of him, but he didn't. He did hold his hand out and within seconds the doctor was shaking his hand, smiling in that knowing way. Behind them, Iggy was hugging Quinn, then Mandy, then Mandy and Quinn were hugging. 

"I know it's after visiting hours, but I haven't had a chance to see him yet." Knox said when things quieted down around them. "Is there any way I can just pop in and make sure he is okay, please? I really need to see him."

The doctor sighed and Knox knew he got his wish, even when it was against hospital protocol. "Just for a moment, but that's it. He needs to heal and you look like you're going to pass out."

"Thank you!" Knox laughed, obviously delirious, but he reached out and briefly hugged him before he pulled away. Iggy handed him his phone without a word. "I'll be as quickly as I can."

Before anyone could say anything about anything, Knox was taking off down the hallway. He stopped at Mickey's door and peeked inside the window, only he couldn't see anything but a curtain drawn around the bed. As he opened the door, he used Iggy's phone and dialed his own, silently waiting for Ian to answer. 

"Knox?" Ian asked moments later. 

Knox smiled. "Hey, yeah it's me. Any problems answering?"

"Took a second, I'm just not sure where I'm supposed to swipe this green button to, but it worked. How is he?"

Knox waited until he pulled back the curtain and Mickey was in the bed, looking normal, aside from all the equipment plugged into him. He reached out and brushed a shaky hand through Mickey's hair. 

"The doctor said he's fine. No swelling or bleeding in his brain, no other injuries that are life threatening."

Ian took a deep, trembling breath. "Fuck."

Knox smiled. "I'm with him right now and he looks pretty good."

"What about the coma thing? What did his doctor say about that?"

"He said that Mickey needed to stay in it tonight, possibly most of tomorrow just to play it safe. But I have a feeling we'll be able to see him up and around before dark tomorrow."

Ian took another shaky breath. "I wish I could be there. I'm fucking useless in here."

Hearing Ian say "fuck" was becoming his new favorite thing. Knox laughed every time it happened. "You're not useless, Ian. You need to get better just like he does and at the same time. We both know as soon as he is allowed to leave, he's going to come see you first. We don't need to give him another reason to worry if you're not healing properly."

"Yeah, I guess." Ian sighed. "I just want to see him for myself."

Knox understood that. It was exactly why he was in there right now when he wasn't supposed to be. Sometimes you just needed proof, to see it with your own eyes before you were sure of the doctors words. 

"I have an idea. I'm gonna hang up and call you back. Answer like you did the first time, okay?"

Ian hesitated. "Okay…"

Without explaining, Knox hung up, waiting a few minutes, then called back. Only this time he called using a video chat, making it so Ian could see Mickey, just like he did, just like he wanted to. Ian answered within seconds, but Knox couldn't see him.

"What was the point of this? We were already talking." Ian asked in an irritated huff. 

Knox laughed and pulled the phone back so his face lit up the screen. "Pull the phone away from your ear and look at me. Tell me what you see."

Ian fumbled with the phone until Knox could see a little of his face. He was surprised, unsure of what was happening but he didn't question it. He held the phone back, just like Knox did and finally they could see each other.

"What is this?" Ian asked. 

"It's a video call. It lets us see each other instead of just talking. Can you see me okay?"

Ian nodded. "This is very strange."

"Yeah, it takes some time getting used to. But I wanted it like this to show you something." 

Ian's eyes darted around the room. "Okay…"

"Just hold on for me." Knox pulled the phone away, then slowly turned it towards Mickey's bed. Ian inhaled sharply. "Now do you see why?"

"God." Ian gasped, his voice broken. "He looks awful like this."

Knox set the phone down on Mickey's bed, propped up by the railing, then took a seat with his coffee. "It could be a million times worse, trust me. Don't mind all the wires and stuff, those are just to make sure he is in good health."

"God, I wish I could just touch him."

"You will, soon enough. Right now you both need to get some sleep, you need to feel better because we still have some shit to worry about."

When Ian didn't reply to that, Knox got up and looked at the phone. Ian was asleep, laying back against the cave wall, still holding the phone. It fell a little, making Ian seem far away and a little crooked, but at least he was sleeping. He only let himself sleep after seeing if Mickey was okay.

"Don't worry, Ian," Knox said as he took the phone back. He couldn't help but smile at the two of them. "I'll take care of him and we'll see you soon." He ended the call just as the door opened. 

"Come on, time to leave." The nurse waved him through, smiling. "You can see him tomorrow."

Knox, slipped the phone into his pocket, then bent down and kissed Mickey's forehead before he walked out the door. Iggy, Mandy and Quinn were still in the waiting room, but something caught his eye down the other hallway. 

Before they noticed him, he slipped past them and slowly walked down the hall. At the far end had to be Noah's room because there were guards surrounding it like he was the President of the United States. But there was one person he thought he saw, that he couldn't have seen. It just wasn't possible. 

He moved closer, keeping his head down as not to attract attention. Just before the group of guys, he stopped and acted like he was waiting at the front desk, but kept cutting his eyes over. He'd see it, then he wouldn't, then he would again, then he wouldn't. It was maddening. 

Then he really saw it. No, not it, but her. She wasn't supposed to be there. She wasn't supposed to be strapped in tactical gear, hanging around Noah's door. He just didn't understand. 

Sammi was standing not five feet from him, pacing the hallway. 

Knox kept blinking, trying to see if it was real or not and by the tenth time, he knew she was. Sammi, his long time girlfriend, was standing with Noah's men. She wasn't supposed to be there. 

Without wanting to alert the others, Knox tried to get her attention. After the millionth try, when he was about to say fuck it and just walk over there, she saw him. Her eyes widened like she'd see a ghost. He waved her over then moved down the hallway away from them until she joined him. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" He snapped at her. He pointed down the hallway. "Why are with him?"

Sammi stared him down. "First of all, you'd better check your tone before you talk to me again. And second of all, I told you I had a job coming up."

Knox paused to take a deep breath or he'd be tempted to bark again. "Yeah, you did. You said you'd be near Ireland, not in Bermuda and certainly not working for a prick like Wilcox."

"I didn't know who the contract was for until I was already on my way. The company who hired me was under a different name. I didn't even know it was Noah until after."

"And what, you decide that it's a good idea to run out and hunt mermaids with him?" He snapped again, wondering why the entire time this had been going on that she hadn't told him, or how he managed to avoid seeing her. "Why didn't you tell me? You know we have bad blood with him and you fucking know he's a piece of shit. How can you work with him?"

She put a hand on his arm, a soft touch that changed the entire feel of the conversation. As did her soft tone. "I didn't tell you because it's a long story. I've been trying to find a way to contact you without letting him know."

Just as he was getting some answers, it all changed for the worst. Suddenly boots were stomping down the hallway, coming at them. Knox turned and saw Iggy, his face a mask of confusion and betrayal as he looked back and forth between them.

"Son of a bitch." Knox said to himself and just before Iggy reached them, he put her behind him and met Iggy's rage with raised hands. "Just take it easy."

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Iggy snarled, pointing at her, at them. "Why the fuck is she working with them?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Knox said calmly, trying to defuse the situation. It was already out of hand and now he was at odds with Iggy, his family. "I didn't know…"

Iggy scoffed. "The fuck you didn't!! She's been working for him this entire time?"

"Igg, it's not that simple." He looked back to meet her worried eyes and that proved to be the wrong move. When he turned back, Iggy's tattooed fist was flying at his face. It connected with a thud and made his head jerk back. "Fuck!"

Iggy was coming at him in full force. Panting like a bull, snarling, glaring, ready to take his head off. And he would have, if Quinn wasn't suddenly there pulling him back. All the commotion alerted Noah's guys and they all came running up to them, looking from him to her, to them, wondering what the hell was going on. 

"You're a fucking traitor!" Iggy screamed and fought against Quinn's hold. "My brother almost died because of that prick!"

Knox held his nose, knowing that it was broken. There was no time to explain how wrong Iggy was, how he would never put any of them in danger on purpose because they were suddenly surrounded by security and being pulled away from each other. 

"I can explain," Knox yelled across the hall to Iggy who was a raging, crying mess. Sammi was hunkered down behind him, trying to stay out of the officers way. "It's not what you think, I promise."

"Don't wanna fucking hear it!" Iggy replied, all but barking at him like a ravenous dog. 

There was nothing else he could say because Iggy wouldn't listen. Security split them up and he made sure sammi went with him to a different waiting room. He sat down, a towel pressed into his bloody nose while she rubbed his back. He shrugged her hand off, feeling betrayed also but knew she had to have a reason for all of this. 

"There better be a damn good reason." Knox said and turned to face her. She was upset, but not crying. "Whatever this is, whatever you've done, probably just cost me my family."

Sammi put her head in her hands, looking positively defeated. "I always have a reason, Knox. Always."

He waited, watching, for her explanation. And after what felt like forever, she finally said it and he couldn't believe it. 

"I'm the only who saved Ian that day. I'm the one who got him out of that net when Noah caught him."

Knox expected a lot of things, but not that. Not even close. He literally didn't know what to say to her, or to think. He didn't know if he believed her or not, but she had his attention. He turned towards her, reeling in his anger. 

"Tell me everything."

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters will be longer, depending on reactions...also tags might change so keep a look out and I hope you enjoy!


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